Legislation Would Create More than 4,600 Jobs, Restore Fish and
Wildlife Habits
WASHINGTON, D.C.–Senator Jeff Merkley (OR) and
Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-1) today jointly introduced the Klamath Basin
Economic Restoration Act in the Senate and House. The legislation would
implement a comprehensive plan, developed through a multi-year collaborative effort
among farmers, ranchers, fishermen, Tribal leaders, and conservationists, to
settle one of the nation’s most volatile water wars. According to an
analysis released by the U.S. Department of the Interior, the removal of four
dams on the Klamath River would create more than 4,600 jobs in the basin,
including hundreds of jobs in fishing and agriculture, while restoring
historical habitat for salmon, steelhead and other fish and wildlife. The
legislation is cosponsored in the Senate by California Senator Barbara Boxer.
“This legislation is proof
that through collaboration and hard work we can move beyond the disputes of the
past and create a stronger foundation for economic growth,”said Senator Jeff Merkley.
“This legislation will provide a brighter future for the Klamath Basin –
putting people to work and improving the economy for farmers and fishermen
alike.”
“The agreements that are in
place represent the best way forward for the Klamath River Basin and its
communities – now it is time for Congress to put these agreements into action,” said Thompson. “The dam
removals will not only benefit our river basin by restoring fish and wildlife
habitats, it will strengthen our economy by creating more than 4,600 jobs.”
Senator Boxer said, “This
bill will implement a carefully crafted plan that will help farmers, fishermen,
Native American communities and the environment by restoring the Klamath River
Basin. I applaud the leadership of Senator Merkley, Congressman Thompson and
all the stakeholders for coming together behind a plan that will strengthen the
region’s economy and the environment.”
The Klamath Basin Economic
Restoration Act authorizes the implementation of the Klamath Basin Restoration
Agreement (KBRA) and the Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (KHSA). The
two agreements jointly envision a collaborative approach to natural resource
management and economic and environmental restoration. In addition, they settle
decades of water rights disputes and other litigation over natural resources in
the region.
Specifically, the
legislation:
· Approves
both agreements and authorizes the U.S. Department of Interior to sign and
implement the KBRA, implement the KHSA and take the necessary steps to move the
agreement forward.
· Changes or
establishes federal policy to assist implementation of the agreements
· Establishes
a process to plan for and implement dam removal.
Scientific analysis cited by
Interior anticipates significant benefits to commercial salmon fishermen. With
removal of the dams, Coho would reclaim 68 miles of historical habitat,
steelhead – the Klamath River’s most popular sport fish – would regain 420 miles
of historical habitat, and Chinook salmon production would increase by more
than 80 percent. All together, eleven coastal counties in Oregon and California
would gain more than 400 jobs as a result of improved fishing conditions.
Studies done by the Department
of Interior estimate that the reliability of the water supply that would be
gained through the legislation would boost gross farm income and add between 70
and 695 jobs annually to the agricultural economy.
Glen Spain, Northwest
Director of thePacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations
emphasized, “Our rural communities simply can’t afford to do nothing.
That’s a recipe for another round of catastrophes like the fish kill and
irrigation shut-off. We desperately need Congress to act now.”
“When disaster hit and
litigation got drawn out, we were challenged by elected officials to develop
our own solutions to the water crises that have devastated our communities,”
said Steve Kandra, a Klamath Basin farmer. “Together we did it and we’re part
of a strong and growing constituency that expects our elected officials to
seize this opportunity to end the Klamath Crisis.”
Jeff Mitchell, lead
negotiator for the Klamath Tribes noted, “This bill is a marked departure from
past attempts by one interest group to strong arm another. Instead we’ve set
aside ideological debates and focused on protecting everyone’s interests
collectively. It’s exactly the type of win-win policy Congress should
embrace.”
“This legislation represents
a significant step forward to resolving the conflict in the Klamath Region and
we are extremely grateful for efforts of Congressman Thompson and look forward
to working with him to get legislation signed into law,” said Thomas O’Rourke,
Chairman of the Yurok Tribe. “The Yurok Tribe has worked hard to forge
relationships and come to agreements that are in the mutual interest of all
parties involved. Now, Congress needs to act so we can begin restoring the
Klamath River Basin.”
The total cost of removing
the dams and embarking on the environmental restoration called for in this
legislation is estimated to be $536 million in Federal funds, which will be
matched by $550 million in non-Federal funds.
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