During U.S. Rep. Greg
Walden’s visit with the
Herald and News in late
April, he remarked that the
proposed water settlements
bill might not make it out
of the House as one piece of
legislation. He noted it may
be broken up, with some
issues — such as dam removal
— being left on the cutting
room floor.
According to the April 27
story “Walden hears of
‘over-reaching’ government,”
Walden said he supports the
water settlement reached
last month by Klamath Tribes
and the upper Basin
irrigators. Although he
plans to support a
comprehensive bill in
Congress, Walden said he has
reservations about removing
four dams located on the
Klamath River.
State and federal
dignitaries, the Klamath
Tribes and other
stakeholders signed the
Upper Klamath Basin
Comprehensive Agreement
in April. The agreement
is one portion of a
three-part piece of
legislation expected to
be introduced this month
by Sen. Ron Wyden,
D-Ore. The elements of
the agreement include
increasing instream
flows to Upper Klamath
Lake, developing a
riparian restoration
program to promote
sustainable fisheries,
and a $40 million
economic development
package for the Klamath
Tribes.
Other portions of the
legislation provide
mechanisms to move
forward the 2010 Klamath
Basin Restoration
Agreement settlement and
the related Klamath
Hydroelectric Settlement
Agreement, which seek to
establish reliable water
supplies and affordable
power rates for
irrigators, restore fish
habitat, help the
Klamath Tribes acquire
the 92,000-acre Mazama
Tree Farm and remove
four dams on the Klamath
River.
Members of the Klamath
Basin Task Force, who
have toiled for months
developing a Basin-wide
water settlement were
asked what they thought
of their legislation
being dismantled in part
in order for it to pass
the House.
Becky Hyde, rancher and
representative of the
Upper Klamath Water
Users Association: “I
was very encouraged by
Congressman Walden’s
comments. I believe he
understands the
importance of the ag
community to our
economy. I think he also
understands the
importance of our
community coming to some
understanding and moving
on.”