Governor's Klamath Legislation Supports Jobs, Farms and Fish

A group of diverse organizations including Sustainable Northwest, farmers, fishermen, native tribes, and conservationists urged legislators to support Governor Kulongoski’s Senate Bill 76 to fund dam removal in the Klamath Basin. This is a first step in a larger effort to stabilize rural economies, and ensure jobs and a sustainable future for rural communities in southern Oregon.

Salem, OR –  A group of diverse organizations including farmers, fishermen, native tribes, and conservationists today urged legislators to support Governor Kulongoski’s Senate Bill 76 to fund dam removal in the Klamath Basin. The groups said this legislation is the beginning of the end to the ongoing water wars there.  Supporters also say the bill, which entered hearings today, will help stabilize rural economies and ensure jobs and a sustainable future for rural communities in southern Oregon.

Martin Goebel, President of Sustainable Northwest commented, “This legislation is good for fish, fisherman, and farms, as well as creating benefits for both individual ratepayers and businesses.” The legislation implements one component of the broader Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement, a blueprint for restoring the Basin’s fisheries and stabilizing its rural communities.  It also reflects the agreements among OR, CA, PacifiCorp and the federal government to move forward with dam removal in the Klamath Basin. 

Beginning in 2001, Sustainable Northwest has worked with rural community leaders in the Klamath Basin to design solutions for fisheries and agriculture.  Sustainable Northwest began facilitating meetings between tribal and agricultural leaders in 2005 to encourage a comprehensive approach to restore the Klamath Basin.  Basin leaders, state and federal agencies, and numerous interest groups then worked together as part of a Klamath Settlement Group to create the Restoration Agreement.  The effort would be one of the country’s largest restoration projects. Coalition members agree that removal of four dams in the Klamath is the cornerstone to an effective, long-term solution that benefits a variety of interests.

Supporters of this legislation also point out that it is the most cost-effective option available for individual ratepayers and businesses. “Removing the dams is less expensive than re-licensing them, which would entail years of litigation and costly retrofits, with the net effect of slowing restoration,” added Goebel. Retrofits could include fish ladders, and water quality measures to decrease impacts of algal blooms on fish. Without settlement, litigation could extend for another decade.

Under terms of the legislation, funds would be collected over ten years, and preserved in a trust fund for dam removal, subject to final confirmation of removal from the Secretary of the Interior.  Actions such as dam removal are commonly paid for by a utility company’s customers.

Sustainable Northwest helps people and communities restore and maintain ecological health, balance diverse interests, and promote economic opportunities. Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, the organization works to bridge rural and urban interests, encourage entrepreneurship, and build trust in sustainable natural resource management and utilization in the western U.S.