[env-trinity] Redding.com opinion: Russell ‘Buster' Attebery and Larry Nicholson: Lack of Congressional action threatens to reignite

[Tom Stokely]

http://www.redding.com/opinion/speak-your-piece/russell-buster-attebery-and-larry-nicholson-lack-of-congressional-action-threatens-to-reignite_61846747


Russell ‘Buster' Attebery and Larry Nicholson: Lack of Congressional action threatens to reignite
6:01 PM, Aug 26, 2015speak your pieceFrom the foggy shores of the Pacific to the high mountain desert of southeastern Oregon, the Klamath’s diverse and often warring rural communities have committed to equitably share the region’s most precious resource — water. Tribes, ranchers, farmers, fishermen, conservation groups and the local power company, PacifiCorp, have brokered an unprecedented agreement to ensure that both fishing and irrigation communities can survive into the future. However, if Congress does not act this year, it will likely reignite the West’s most contentious water war. If that happens, it’s Klamath Basin communities that have the most to lose.The Klamath Agreements were signed in 2010 after decades of hostilities within the Klamath River Basin. The Agreements are admittedly complex, but in order to address the needs of farming, fishing, and tribal communities and to restore one of America’s greatest rivers they have to be. The Agreements provide greater water supply security for agriculture and refuges, provide more water for fish in Upper Klamath Lake and the Klamath River, and resolve numerous legal disputes. Irrigators get assistance with improving water conservation in order to do more with less; tribes get what many see as the mother of all restoration projects — removal of the lower four Klamath River dams.Importantly, the Klamath agreements remain the only viable compromise that has been put forward to settle these complex conflicts.Despite support from the owner of privately-owned dams, Oregon’s largest tribe and California’s two largest tribes, commercial and sport salmon fishermen, Trout Unlimited and other conservation groups, as well as dozens of irrigation districts and agricultural organizations, Congress risks allowing the Agreements to wither on the vine if it does not pass legislation by the end of this year.Failure by Congress to act will not ensure the status quo. The disputes over water-sharing and the future of the dams will go on, only in a courtroom, with uncertain outcomes and without the negotiated compromise that respects all interests. Instead, without a negotiated compromise on these issues, the future will hold continued conflict and litigation and ensure perpetual water insecurity for most Klamath Basin irrigators.Key to jump-starting the agreements in Congress is support from the two members of the House of Representatives whose districts are most affected — Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale, and Rep. Greg Walden, R-Hood River, Ore. Rep. Walden is looking for a pathway to drop a bill in the House, however Rep. LaMalfa has still not taken a position on the agreement. We need Mr. LaMalfa to stand with Klamath communities and his constituents directly affected by the water and other Klamath conflicts to pass the federal legislation needed to implement the Klamath Agreements. Otherwise his enduring legacy will be one of missed opportunity.Russell ‘Buster’ Attebery is the chairman of the Karuk Tribe and Larry Nicholson is an Upper Klamath Basin rancher.
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