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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 2016)
SILETZ NEWS Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians Vol. 44, No. 5 May 2016 Siletz News Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians P.O. Box 549 Siletz, OR 97380-0549 Delores Pigsley, Tribal Chairman Brenda Bremner, General Manager and Editor-in-Chief Presorted First-Class Mail U.S. Postage Paid - Permit No. 178 Salem, OR Family Literacy Night Finale Carnival April 14, 2016 Siletz Tribal Community Center Courtesy photo by Alicia Keene Youth participate in the Literacy Search game, finding in magazines such things as something that starts with an “S,” a number, a word they can read and the letters that spell their name. State, federal officials sign new agreements to remove Klamath River dams KLAMATH, Calif. – The states of Oregon and California, PacifiCorp and the U.S. Departments of the Interior and Commerce signed an agreement on April 6 that, following a process administered by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commis- sion (FERC), will result in the removal of four dams on the Klamath River by 2020, making it one of the largest river restora- tion efforts in the nation. State and federal officials also signed a new, separate agreement with irrigation interests and other parties known as the 2016 Klamath Power and Facilities Agree- ment (KPFA). This agreement will help Klamath Basin irrigators avoid potential adverse financial and regulatory impacts associated with the return of fish runs to the Upper Klamath Basin, which are anticipated after dam removal. The signing ceremony took place at the mouth of the Klamath River on the Yurok Indian Reservation in Klamath. Gov. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown was joined by California Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr.; Pacific Power President and CEO Stefan Bird; Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell; NOAA Administrator Dr. Kathryn Sulli- van; representatives of the Yurok, Karuk and Klamath Tribes; non-governmental organizations; and farmers and ranchers from the Klamath Basin. “These agreements are more than ink and paper, they are a roadmap to the future of the Klamath Basin and of the people who live there,” said Kate Brown. “I’m proud to be a part of a plan that invokes the spirit of collaboration to ensure the recovery of the area Tribes’ historic fish- ing grounds while sustaining the region’s farming and ranching heritage.” This new agreement acknowledges additional work is necessary to fully restore the Klamath Basin; advance the recovery of its fisheries; uphold trust responsibilities to the Yurok, Karuk and Klamath Tribes; and sustain the region’s farming and ranching economy. “Today is a historic day where the parties who have worked for decades to restore the Klamath Basin are reaffirm- ing their commitment to each other for the shared vision of fisheries restoration and irrigated agriculture co-existing as we move into the future,” said Jewell “This agreement is an important initial step as we work toward a comprehensive set of actions to advance long-term restoration and sustainability for Tribes, fisheries, and agriculture and water users across the Klamath Basin.” Many of these efforts will require con- gressional action and the agreement com- mits the signatories to actively cooperate with all Klamath Basin stakeholders – members of Congress, Tribes, farmers and others – to develop additional agreements over the next year to offer comprehensive solutions to these issues. “These agreements will enable the largest dam removal project in the nation,” said Sullivan. “While more work lies ahead, these agreements support efforts to recover fisheries, sustain the region’s farming and ranching interests, and benefit the environment and the communities who rely upon the Klamath River.” The newly amended dam removal agreement, which uses existing non- federal funding and the same timeline as the original agreement, will be filed with FERC on or about July 1 for consideration under its established processes, which includes public involvement. “This historic agreement will enable Oregon and California and the interested parties to get these four dams finally removed and the Klamath River restored to its pristine beauty,” said Edmund G. Brown Jr. Under the settlement, dam owner PacifiCorp will transfer its license to oper- ate the Klamath River dams to a private company known as the Klamath River Renewal Corporation. This company will oversee dam removal starting in 2020. PacifiCorp will continue to operate the dams until they are decommissioned. “PacifiCorp continues to support the Klamath settlement as a fair way forward for our electricity customers in Oregon, California and beyond. The company is committed to continuing to work with our settlement partners to fully enact this important agreement,” said Bird. In 2010, Klamath Basin stakeholders signed the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA) and the Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (KHSA). In 2014, the Upper Klam- ath Basin Comprehensive Agreement (UKBCA) was signed. Members of the California and Oregon delegations introduced legisla- tion in the past two Congresses to advance the hard-fought KHSA and two related Klamath agreements; however, the U.S. Congress adjourned last year without authorizing them. The expiration of the KBRA last December caused uncertainty in moving forward with the KHSA and UKBCA. In early 2016, the parties that have spent years negotiating the pacts resolved to find a new path forward. The amended KHSA and the 2016 Klamath Power and See Klamath on page 12
