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House Natural Resources Committee Hearing entitled 'Crisis of Confidence,' regarding
Vice President Cheney and the Klamath River Salmon Die-off of 2004
Washington D.C. July 31, 2007              
Table of Contents of Hearing
This hearing was called because of an article in the Washington Post,
blaming Vice President Cheney for the 2002 fish die-off

Fish Die-Off Page

Articles and Commentaries followed by testimonies, information

Testimony of Dr. William Lewis before the U.S. House of Representatives, House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Water and Power, July 31, 2007.  Dr. Lewis was Chair of the National Research Council (NRC) Committee on Endangered and Threatened Fishes in the Klamath River Basin (“Klamath Committee”) between 2002 and 2004.

House Hearing Fails To Link Klamath Fish Kill To VP Cheney, FishLetter 8/17/07

Science clears Cheney in Klamath salmon die-off, by Jerry Reynolds, Indian Country Today, August 3, 2007

Fur should fly, Colorado Gazette, posted to KBC 8/7/07. "The inquisitors were hoping for a smoking gun linking Vice President Dick Cheney to the die-off of salmon in Oregon’s Klamath River, stemming from a water dispute in 2001, which was the focus of a recent expose (read: hit piece) by The Washington Post. But no damning revelations were produced by the dogs and ponies paraded before the committee."

"Crisis of Confidence" Hearing Highlights, by Dan Keppen, Family Farm Alliance Executive Director 8/3/07

Investigators not told about Cheney contact, official says, Capital Press 7/31/07

Comment by retired government scientist who wants to remain anonymous, "I do not understand why someone is not standing up and pointing out that Mike Kelly's (whistleblower) conclusions were probably wrong in the first place. 
   There have been 3-4 years, in the Klamath River, where water conditions were worse than those that occurred in 2002 when the fish were KILLED!  During these other years there was not a fish die-off.  But, of course, those that are willing to look at the circumstantial evidence are aware that the salmonids were indeed killed (murdered) by meth lab idiots.
   Furthermore, Dave Vogel clearly established that the water upstream at Iron Gate was warm and would not help the salmon if sent downstream to them."
 

Klamath River hearing won’t help settlement group’s efforts, H&N, Congressman Greg Walden, posted 7/30/07

Water hearing stirs up debate, H&N, posted to KBC 7/30/07

What caused salmon deaths, by Barry Clausen, rerun in the Pioneer Press July 2007. (Note from author: "I spent three weeks on this story. The Washington Post story on this issue and their criticism of VP Cheney is so inaccurate IT IS PATHETIC.") This and related articles are on our Fish Die-off page.

Die-off continues to be controversial, Pioneer Press, posted to KBC 7/20/07

Stop the Myth-Making: Now’s the Time to Focus on the Positive, by Dan Keppen, Executive Director Family Farm Alliance, posted to KBC July 19, 2007, for Siskiyou Daily News. "Disease, warm water, and crowded conditions were contributing factors to the (2002 fish) die-off...A final report released by the National Research Council (NRC) also failed to find a link between the die-off and Project operations. These slightly important facts are consistently and conveniently ignored by outside anti-farming organizations and their messengers in large urban newspapers."

Klamath River hearing won’t help settlement group’s efforts, H&N, posted 7/30/07

Water hearing stirs up debate, H&N, posted to KBC 7/30/07

Klamath-Cheney tale is all fiction, Register Guard 7/20/07, By Dan Keppen, Family Farm Alliance, and Todd Kelstrem, Klamath Falls Mayor.

Blaming Cheney for die-off is far-fetched, H&N Letter, 7/12/07. "But what was Cheney’s “secretive meddling?” At the request of Republican Congressman Bob Smith, Cheney contacted someone in the Interior Department and asked them to get a second opinion from the National Academy of Sciences. Holy Moley!! How could he get away with that? And even worse, the NAS found no scientific foundation for cutting off the water. How dared they disagree with government biologists, environmentalists and commercial fishermen?"

Washington Post article plows partisan ground, by Greg Addington, Klamath Water Users Executive Director 7/15/05 Herald and News. "...it claims that Mr. Cheney gave personal attention in early 2001 to Klamath Basin water policy issues. On the other hand, it fails to report that just a few months later, this same administration announced there would be no water for irrigators in the Bureau of Reclamation’s Klamath Project – the first time that this water supply had been shut off in the Project’s 100-year history."

Klamath water pact said at risk, Sacramento Bee 7/14/07

(KBC Note: Kandra says there is no finger pointing in settlement talks; Hoopas seem to claim otherwise: )
Solving the Klamath River fisheries issues requires true and wise leadership by Steve Kandra, Klamath Water User, "The farmers, tribes and fishermen are solving problems, not pointing fingers." And Fish and Farmers Both Need Water, by Hoopa Tribal Chairman Clifford Marshall, "fish in the Trinity and Klamath rivers are still fighting for their lives as the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation starves the Trinity River for restoration funding and aged dams block natural propagation on the Klamath River," Washington Post, posted to KBC 7/10/07.

Stakeholders, not Cheney, Will Determine Klamath’s Fate, Craig Tucker Karuk Tribe spokesman, posted 7/7/07, and sent to the Register Guard.

Lawmakers urge Klamath hearing for vice president, H&N, posted to KBC 7/2/07

Request letter from Congressmen Walden, Doolittle and Herger regarding Democrats blaming Dick Cheney for fish die-off in the Klamath River 5 years ago, 6/29/07.

{KBC COMMENT: After the following hearing, dozens of green media reporters did not mention the statements of Dr William Lewis, National Academy of Science Committee Chairman, during the 2002 fish die-off review, yet the democrats and the press are determined to nail Cheney regardless of the fact Lewis said the NAS science by the top scientists was not influenced by politics. We will spare you.}

   

6/29/07 - Have the Washington Post and democrats forgotten the facts???
The Basin and the Bay , 07/28/04. Washington Post - regarding Klamath Irrigators and 2002 fish die-off.
 Klamath Water Users' Response to Washington Post, 7/28/04
  Another letter to Post editor,7/28/04. Gaelwolf has followed the Klamath crisis from the beginning, and a long time contributor to the forum. "The one part that is correct is the bit about the Klamath River Basin being located in Oregon and Northern California."
Amending environmental laws to help business, Washington Post, posted to KBC 6/29/07. (KBC NOTE: Here the Democrats are blaming Dick Cheney for a fish die-off in 2002 on the Klamath River, 5 years later. However, in 2002 they blamed the irrigators, then Bush, and all this year until this week it was the Klamath River dams.)
HERE for fish die-off page. HERE for Hardy/BIA science that was used to form the biological opinions. HERE for KWUA warnings against more lethal hot water in 2002 - too hot for fish.
Cheney probed over salmon die off, Sacramento Bee, posted to KBC 6/29/07.
Democrats want hearing into Cheney role in salmon die-off, Oregonian, posted 6/29/07

Testimony

Testimony of Dr. William Lewis before the U.S. House of Representatives, House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Water and Power, July 31, 2007.  Dr. Lewis was Chair of the National Research Council (NRC) Committee on Endangered and Threatened Fishes in the Klamath River Basin (“Klamath Committee”) between 2002 and 2004.

{KBC COMMENT: After the following hearing, dozens of green media reporters did not mention the statements of Dr William Lewis, National Academy of Science Committee Chairman, during the 2002 fish die-off review, yet the democrats and the press are determined to nail Cheney regardless of the fact Lewis said the NAS science by the top scientists was not influenced by politics. We will spare you the drivel.}

Testimony of Congressman Greg Walden before the House Natural Resources Committee Oversight “Crisis of Confidence:  The Political Influence of the Bush Administration on Agency Science and Decision-Making," July 31, 2007

Pre-hearing Information on Klamath

July 31 House Natural Resources Hearing Info Packet Includes:

  • Event Timeline
  • Settlement Group
  • National Academy of Science Report
  • Inspector General Responds to Senator Kerry
  • Conservation Efforts
  • 2002 Fish Die-Off

Background Documents

  • Letter – Senator John Kerry asking Department of the Interior Inspector General Earl Devaney to investigate political influence in the Klamath water crisis (August 6, 2003)
  • Letter – Response from Inspector General Devaney addressing Senator John Kerry’s concerns (March 1, 2004)
  • Summary – 2003 National Academy of Sciences final report on the situation in the Klamath Basin
  • Testimony before the Natural Resources Committee – Dr. William M. Lewis, former chairman of the Committee on Endangered and Threatened Fishes in the Klamath River Basin (National Research Council National Academy of Sciences), and professor of environmental science (July 31, 2007)

Letters of Support

  • Klamath Settlement Group Press Release (July 24, 2007)
  • Agriculture Community Alliance (July 26, 2007)
  • Klamath Project Farmers-Coastal Fisherman Alliance (July 25, 2007)
  • Washington Farm Bureau (July 25, 2007)

House Natural Resources Committee is holding a hearing entitled "Crisis of Confidence July 31, summary and witness list by Congressman Walden

Letter by farmer coalition in support of Klamath Project irrigators was sent to the chairman and ranking member of the House Natural Resource Committee yesterday. Three dozen organizations from nine different states showed their support for Klamath Project irrigators. The committee it was sent to will be conducting the upcoming oversight hearing regarding Klamath and the Bush Administration.7/27/07

Letter of support of Klamath resource users by Washington Farm Bureau, representing 35,000 member families, 7/27/07

Cheney did not manipulate science to kill fish in 2002 on the Klamath, by KBC 7/31/07. Today we listened to some of the 'Cheney-killed-Klamath River fish-in-2002' Congressional hearing in D.C. instigated by Democrats against the Vice President. Mary Kendall, Deputy Inspector General,  Department of the Interior, said regarding Senator Kerry's request in 2003 for fish die-off investigation, the IGO found no political influence or pressure in their '03 investigation, and she stands by their 2004 letter to Kerry. She said there has been no information submitted to the IGO that would change her mind from the '04 letter denying any political influence.
   Dr. William M. Lewis, former chairman of the Committee on Endangered and Threatened Fishes in the Klamath River Basin (National Research Council National Academy of Sciences), and professor of environmental science, said in 2001 the Bureau of Reclamation questioned the validity of shutting off all the irrigation water to the Klamath Project and requested the NAS peer review the science. Contrary to the democrats' accusations, Lewis said the NAS deals with "science and technology, not policy and politics." He said the committee is comprised of scientists screened for their objectivity, the committee must all agree on the final report, and it must pass scrutiny of several peer reviewers and overseers. There was no political influence. The committee found that agencies did not take actions on the rest of the Klamath River, but focused totally on the Klamath Project. He said there is no scientific basis for operation of the River based on minimum flows, and said the agencies made their own plan regardless of the NAS findings; the agencies acquired 100,000 AF water and did more conservation contrary to what earlier data called for. "Agencies are not required to take our advice; they took some and not the rest."
   Lewis said the 2002 fish mortality was at the mouth of the Klamath river, and 33,000 chinook salmon died from a run of 170,000 fish, 99% being chinook. It was a year of "low flows in the grips of drought." He said until '98 there had been five previous droughts with no salmon mortality, and some flows were  lower than in '02. He said the committee found it unlikely the Klamath Project caused the die-off. There has been no change in Project operations since 1909. The Project is 185 miles from the mortality, and the Project accounts for only up to 10% of the water at the mouth of the river. It was a drought, salmon waited for a signal to go upstream, disease overtook them and killed a portion of them. Warm Project water would not have helped them . They found the 2001 water shutoff to the Klamath Project unjustified because agencies made decisions that went against data. Agencies made and enforced  opinions.
   Some of the democrats insisted that more hot water would have helped the fish and surely, in spite of testimony by the IGO and Lewis to the contrary, they insisted Cheeny manipulated science which killed the fish, because they said Bush administration is bad for the environment and fish.
   Oregon Congressman Walden
said in '93 suckers became endangered because of the Chiloquin dam and prior administrations did nothing to help. Bush administration put in
multimillion $ fish screen on A Canal saving baby suckers, promoted removing Chiloquin which blocks 90% of sucker habitat, made a waterbank and provided euip funds for hundreds of conservation projects, putting over $90 million into Klamath Basin environment and ecosystem.

  So, according to the Chairman of the highest esteemed science committee in America, and the Inspector General's office, Vice President Cheney did not manipulate science to kill fish in the Klamath River in 2002.
HERE for 2002 Fish Die-off Page

6/27/07: Klamath Water Users updates written before the 2002 Klamath River fish die-off warning that more warm water may harm fish, along with National Research Council comments:
* 8/9/02 KWUA Biologist Warns: “Increased Summer Flows Could Harm Salmon”
followed by
Salmon Runs Surging Into Northern California Rivers –Including Klamath 9/20/02
KWUA Responds to Interior’s Flow Decision 9/27/02

*
 Klamath Project Under Attack: A Recap of the 2002 Klamath River Fish Die-Off 10/4/02
*
 National Research Council On the fish die-off: 8/3/04
KBC Fish die-off page
Around 1900 Link River, between Upper Klamath Lake and Lake Ewauna, occasionally went dry  before the Klamath Project was built. That means, NO flows from the Klamath Basin.

   Much of Klamath Basin was a closed basin, meaning that where our farmland is, the 20-30' deep lake had no way to escape down the Klamath River.


 

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