* Klamath County Commissioners' Special Work Session VIDEO from November 21:  http://www.viddler.com/v/27e3aca2  This meeting included public comment regarding the commissioners sending the following joint letter to the U.S. Senate regarding the Klamath Agreements, and the commissioners' responses.

Joint letter from Klamath County Commissioners and Siskiyou County Supervisors opposing SB2379 - Klamath River Dam Removal and Klamath "Agreements", posted to KBC 11/30/14. "The Commissioners of Klamath County, Oregon, and the Supervisors of Siskiyou County, California -- the elected officials representing two thirds of the Klamath River Watershed -- strongly oppose Senate Bill 2379...."

Controversy means new water pact is necessary, Herald and News letter to the editor by Wilma Heiney, Tulelake, posted to KBC 11/30/14.

Commissioners make good on election vows. H&N letter to the editor by Loren and Laura Little, Chiloquin, posted to KBC 11/30/14

Bi-State Alliance page

Cal-OR Bi-State Alliance ALTERNATIVES to the KBRA and KHSA (Klamath dam-removal agreements), May 2014. (Both agreements mandate Klamath River Hydro-electric Dam removals)

Saving the Klamath River Dams, the best alternative for Siskiyou and Klamath Counties, May 2014, Cal-Or Bi-State Alliance

RERUN - Why Willamette Valley farmers should watch Klamath Falls' water rights fight, Statesman Journal, reposted to KBC 11/29/14. “This is, in my opinion, a blueprint to shut down wells whenever and wherever they want ... This is not just a Klamath Basin issue. This is a state issue. This is a national issue.”

Isaiah 44:6-8  "Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts; I am the First and I am the Last, besides Me there is no other God. And who can proclaim as I do? Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me, since I appointed the ancient people, and the things that are coming and shall come, let them show these to them. Do not fear, nor be afraid; have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one." Sent from Frank Tallerico 11/23/14.

* Tell U.S. Rep. Greg Walden how you feel on the issue of the controversial KBRA/Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, because presently Democrat "Senator Ron Wyden is trying to move a long-stalled bill through the lame duck session of Congress that would implement agreements to remove four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River..."
http://walden.house.gov/contact-greg . Contact information for his Washington, D.C. office, is: 2182 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515; phone, 202-225-6730, Fax: 202-225-5774.

* Comment period for fee hike at Crater Lake now open until December 22, H&N 11/22/14. "Under the proposal, single vehicle entrance fees would increase from $10 to $25..."

* Comments Due November 28: changes in stream designations for salmon habitat will affect state wetland and waterway permits

Japanese quest for Tulelake 1000-acre monument - KBC News Page
     New Tule Lake Unit fence is more than just a fence, H&N 11/23/14. "...the fence being replaced is not part of the Tulelake Airport, where Modoc County wants to build a new fence to prevent wildlife from entering the runways. Japanese American groups have protested that fence, which they say will reduce public access to a portion of the former Tule Lake Segregation Center."
     Internment camp bill's message: Don't forget, Fresno Bee Sept. 18, 2005: "Tule Lake in 1943 became the site where difficult detainees were sent." (After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and declared war on America, these detainees would not) "sign loyalty oaths."

More than 60 people packed into the 11/21/14 Klamath County Commissioners public meeting to discuss sending a joint letter with Siskiyou County Commissioners to Congress in opposition to the Klamath settlement agreements. Many opposing the Commissioners' letter criticized the elected officials for opposing the agreements that they were elected to oppose. Several speakers supported the Commissioners. The Klamath Tribes threatened to shut off water to irrigators again if the KBRA did not materialize. After public comment, when it became apparent the Commissioners were going to mail their letter regardless of the criticism and insults, most of the opponents stomped out while the Commissioners were explaining their stance and possible alternative solutions that seemed valid to the Klamath and Siskiyou elected officials and the constituents who elected them.
The room was packed	until Commissioners upheld their plan to send a letter in opposition	Many left, grumbling and laughing by the doorway

Herald and News articles concerning Klamath County Commissioners meeting to send joint letter with Siskiyou County elected officials to oppose the controversial KBRA dam removal agreement. H&N 11/22-23/2014.

Water pact receives backlash, Stakeholders decry county letter on dam removal, H&N, posted to KBC 11/23/14. KBC NOTE: Liskey wants the elected Klamath County Commissioners to not oppose the KBRA. In May 2013, Gail Whitsett, KBRA opponent, won the election as Oregon State Representative District 56. Tracy Liskey, proponent of the KBRA, lost the election. On November 4th, 2014, Whitsett ran unopposed and won the endorsement of Democrats, Republicans and Independents with 97.36% of the votes cast. Liskey is an editorial advisor to the Herald and News. See extended KBC NOTE in the above article link.

Chamber backs water agreement. Members ask Walden to support bill as well, H&N, posted to KBC 11/23/14. KBC NOTE: KBRA supporter Chamber Executive Director Chip Massie is an advisor to the editorial board of the Herald and News.

Can Congress help the Klamath Basin restore itself? It must, according to the Oregonian editors, posted to KBC 11/23/14 KBC Note: perhaps we should continue growing food in the Klamath Basin for a hungry world and our urban editorial boards can restore their own cities to prehuman existence.

Feinstein shuts off California water talks until 2015, Fresno Bee, posted to KBC 11/23/14

November 19, 2014 - Board of County Commissioners, Press  Release/Public Meeting Notice
The Klamath County Board of Commissioners will have a Special Meeting on Friday, November 21st, 2014 at 3:00 p.m. at the Government Center 305 Main Street, Klamath Falls, OR - 2nd floor, hearing room 219. Objectives for this meeting will include discussion on their opposition to SB 2379, the Klamath Water Recovery and Economic Restoration Act.

What’s wrong in Siskiyou County? by Capt. William E. Simpson, USMM, My Outdoor Buddy 11/20/14.

Groundwater study group meets Nov. 18

KWAPA Agenda-Special Board Meeting 11/17/14

Hebrews 13:20-21 "Now may the God of peace, who brought up or Lord Jesus from the Dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen."

* Comments Due November 28: Essential salmon habitat maps discussed at public meeting; changes in stream designations will affect state wetland and waterway permits

Fish die-off averted; Salmon run going strong. About 2,300 chinook have entered the Trinity River Hatchery, H&N, posted to KBC 11/16/14. "The Shasta River chinook salmon run is already the second largest since 2001...current estimate for the entire run exceeds all but three years since 1978."

(Klamath County) Commission opposes Klamath water pact; House must approve bill before it reaches Obama, H&N 11/16/14. "commissioner Dennis Linthicum: “...our counties don’t support Senate Bill 2379..."

"No dice, no dam removal bill to be crammed through the House in the lame duck session." response by U.S. Congressman Doug LaMalfa (on his Face Book page) to the "lame duck" plan by Senator Ron Wyden in the article below.
 

Klamath bills pass Senate. Water pact, forestry act take a step forward, H&N 11/14/14. "Sen. Ron Wyden is trying to move a long-stalled bill through the lame duck session of Congress that would implement agreements to remove four hydroelectric dams on the Klamath River to help salmon."  Oregon Wyden's forestry bill would "create 87,000 acres of new wilderness and 252 miles of new wild and scenic rivers."  It is "...expected to..." more than double current timber harvests (KBC NOTE: which are a fraction of historic harvests.)
Regarding Wyden's claim that the KBRA that destroying 4 hydroelectric dams (that provide flood control, power for 70,000 households, and millions of hatchery salmon) will "help salmon", a speech by Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett offers some perspective: Senator Doug Whitsett speech regarding the KBRA and Klamath dam destruction at Yreka's public listening session put on by Department of Interior on 10/20/11. "The Draft Environmental Impact Statement does not appear to mitigate that 20 million cubic yards of sediment. The Department apparently proposes to simply blow the dams and let nature take its course, washing all that sediment downriver. They appear to consider this option as a “grand experiment” to see what actually happens. That amount of sediment is equivalent to about 2 million ten yard dump truck loads of silt, sediment and organic muck. To put that amount into perspective, lined up head to tail, 2 million dump truck loads of river muck would stretch about 12,500 miles…..about half way around the planet."

Klamath pact supporters press bill’s passage, Capital Press 11/14/14.

Modoc Rancher of the Year Ray Ackley owns, manages Dry Lake Ranch near Tulelake, H&N, posted to KBC 11/16/14.
 

Rep. Gail Whitsett has several bills planned. Whitsett also plans to submit an updated version of the groundwater bill HB 4044, H&N, posted to KBC 11/16/14

Groundwater study group meets Nov. 18. Residents can find out more about groundwater rules, H&N, posted to KBC 11/16/14. KBC Note: The KBRA / Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement mandates Klamath Basin irrigators to have a groundwater management plan which will control how much groundwater an irrigator may use on their own property, mandating 'no adverse impacts'. What constitute an "adverse impact" will be decided by tribes, environmental groups, government agencies and a few farmers. Tulelake Irrigation District has already installed this mandate of the KBRA. However, they did tell their constituents that their plan "is not a requirement of...the KBRA..." and "will not regulate groundwater within the Plan area."

Questions about Basin water issues continue, H&N letter by Karen Walther, posted to KBC 11/16/14. "I suggest you Google Agenda 21. See how far it has progressed in our Basin. Do you really want this to happen? If you do, then continue fighting for the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement and the like."

Chamber asks EPA to withdraw water proposal. Klamath County: Federal rule-making process needs review and local input, H&N 11/16/14

Public Comment Period Open for Waters of the U.S. Proposed Rule - Comments due 11/14/14

Comments due 11/14/14 on salvage logging of the Westside Fires

Klamath Water and Power Agency / KWAPA Agenda-Special Board Meeting Nov. 17, 2014

Provisions in the controversial KBRA / Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement for giving land to the Klamath Tribes could hamper completion of improvements on the dangerous Highway 97; ODOT (and the public) was not included in the negotiations, Oregon Senator Doug Whitsett's Newsletter 11/12/14

Power deliveries yet to be finalized. Group will explore innovative avenues for cheaper power, H&N 11/6/14

More water security for Basin irrigators, new corporation aims to solidify terms of the settlement pact, H&N 11/8/14

The New 49ers Newsletter November 2014 Issue by Dave McCracken, November 2014. "We have come into written correspondence from the District Attorney of Siskiyou County which is rejecting to prosecute suction dredgers for not having a permit as a result of the recent Third Appellate published Decision." KBC Note - Notice that many of those protesting suction dredge mining are many of the "stakeholders" in the KBRA / Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement that promises to downsize agriculture and private property and water rights.

TID public meeting on water quality permits 11/6/14