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<H2 class=date-header><A href="http://www.klamblog.blogspot.com/"><FONT
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<H2 class=date-header>Saturday, October 10, 2009</H2>
<DIV class="post hentry"><A name=1398445420072061783></A>
<H3 class="post-title entry-title"><A href="">Traditional Yurok-Karuk leader
speaks out against the Dam and Water Deals</A> </H3>
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<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">Traditional Yurok-Karuk leader Christopher (Chris)
Peters recently sent an e-mail to members of the Yurok, Karuk and Hoopa Tribes
concerning the draft Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (KHSA) and the
proposed Klamath Basin Restoration (sic) Agreement (KBRA).
<SPAN></SPAN><BR></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri"><BR></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">Chris is the president of the <A href=""><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Seventh Generation Fund</SPAN></A>, an international
Indigenous not-for-profit organization with offices in <?xml:namespace prefix =
st1 /><st1:place st="on"><st1:city st="on">Arcata</st1:city>, <st1:state
st="on">California</st1:state></st1:place>. His past accomplishments include
founding and serving as the first executive director of the <SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Northern California Indian Development Council</SPAN>.
Along with other young Karuk, Yurok and Hoopa Indians and elders Chris is
involved in the <SPAN></SPAN>movement which began in the early 1970s to restore
Indigenous ceremonies within the ancestral homelands of the Yurok, Karuk and
Hoopa Peoples. <BR></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><BR><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri"><SPAN></SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">In his e-mail Chris states that the <B><A
href="">Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians</A> (ATNI)</B> is very concerned
about language in the Deals which would grant to the <SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Department of Interior</SPAN> the right to sign
waivers of tribal water rights and federal trust obligations for four of the
five federally recognized tribes located within the <st1:place
st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Klamath</st1:placename> <st1:placetype
st="on">River Basin</st1:placetype></st1:place>. The four tribes are the<SPAN>
</SPAN>Yurok, Hoopa, Karuk and Klamath Tribes. A fifth federal tribe – the <A
href=""><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Quartz Valley Indian
Reservation</SPAN></A> based in the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename
st="on">Scott</st1:placename> <st1:placename st="on">River</st1:placename>
<st1:placetype st="on">Sub-basin</st1:placetype></st1:place> - is not involved
with the KHSA or KBRA.<SPAN> </SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri"><BR></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">KlamBlog presents the entire <SPAN
style="FONT-STYLE: italic">call to action </SPAN>by Chris Peters below.
<BR></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><BR><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">_____________________________________<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri"><BR></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">Auth,</SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><BR><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">We need to think about what “our” tribal council is
doing and <B>the impact of their action on Federal Indian policy</B>. – Housed
within the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA) is <B>TERMINATION</B>
<B>language</B>. <BR></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri"><BR></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri"></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">If the Yurok Tribe should decide not to sign the
“agreement” can we back out now? That a very good question to ask candidates for
the Yurok Council – Because the federal government recently added language that
stipulates that the Department of the Interior can <B>sign the waiver of claims
on behalf of tribes</B>. You may recall from my last communication that the
Yurok Tribe must sign the agreement stating we will <B>NOT ASSERT OUR TRUST OR
WATER RIGHTS</B>. This is how they are going to “deal” with Hoopas and <B>This
is TERMINATION</B> of Tribal Sovereign authority and it has generated MAJOR
concerns among the <B>Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians (ATNI)</B>.
</SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri"></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri"><BR></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">ATNI is a regional organization comprised of Indian
Tribes of Washington. Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Northern California and Alaska, who
just signed a resolution expressing their opposition to <B>------ <I>“any policy
of the United States to terminate the rights of or impose adverse consequences
upon a tribe that chooses to retain its water rights instead of settling on
terms desired by the Federal Government”</I></B> </SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 10pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 10pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">They, as well as <B>other tribal Governments nation
wide</B> are very concerned about the National significance of the “agreement”
and how its termination provisions will impact federal Indian policy. ATNI
intends to take their resolution to the upcoming meeting of the <B>National
Congress of American Indians</B> that will gather in Palms Springs next week.
</SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN-BOTTOM: 10pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">Below are a few other things we need to discuss
with candidates seeking to be elected or re-elected to leadership positions in
the Yurok Tribe. <B>FIRST have they read and do they understand the <st1:place
st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Klamath</st1:placename> <st1:placetype
st="on">Basin</st1:placetype></st1:place> Restoration Agreement (KBRA) or the
Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (KHA)?</B> Because if they have read
and if they do understand these “agreements” they would know that there is a lot
of CRAZZZZZY stuff in them – below are a few examples. Please read</SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">All our Relations</SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">Chris Peters</SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri"><BR></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri"></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.75in" class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">1.</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt">
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">The water balance, guaranteeing
diversion of <B>330,000 acre-feet for irrigators,</B> has no scientific basis
and will, in 40% of water years, leave too little water in the Klamath River to
meet the Coho Salmon flow requirements. There are no guaranteed flows for fish.
Sec. 15.1.1.B and App. E-5. <B>THIS WILL ALSO LEGALLY GIVE WATER RIGHT TO
IRRIGATION CORPORATIONS – OUR INDIAN WATER RIGHTS!!!</B></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN-LEFT: 0.75in" class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri"></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 12pt 0.75in"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri"><BR></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 12pt 0.75in"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">2.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt"> </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">The KBRA has
no restoration goals. It establishes no target salmon run sizes or harvest
goals. <B>Thus its success can’t be measured.</B></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 12pt 0.75in"
class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">3.</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt"> </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">Neither the
KBRA nor the KHA requires removal of any dam. The KHA is a planning process that
merely might, after 12+ years, lead to dam removal. <B>WE NEED ACTION NOW –IN
12+ YEARS ALL THE FISH COULD BE GONE!! – ALSO IN 12 YEARS WE MIGHT HAVE ANOTHER
REPUBLICAN ADMINISTRATION.</B></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 12pt 0.75in"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">4.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt"> </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">The KBRA
requires Indian Tribes to <B>waive claims of violation of trust water and
fishing rights regardless of the success of restoration</B>. Sec.
15.3.7</SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 12pt 0.75in"
class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">5.</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt"> </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">The $985
million federal appropriations called for in the KBRA <B>will enable irrigators
to increase ground water pumping,</B> which will further deplete surface water
flows in the Klamath. Sec. 15.3.1, 15.2.4, 25-28. <B>None of this funding goes
to dam removal!!!!</B></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 12pt 0.75in"
class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">6.</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt"> </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">The KBRA
requires parties to support water diversions and follow procedures that will
weaken the effect of the Endangered Species Act. Sec. 20.3. <B>This is critical
– the Coho runs are getting so low that we need to think hard about listing them
as an</B> <B>ENDANGERED!!</B> <B>IF WE WANT WILD FISH FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS OF
YUROKS.</B></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 12pt 0.75in"
class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">7.</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt"> </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">If funds are
appropriated to purchase water to augment instream flows for the benefit of
fish, the Bureau of Reclamation, not a fisheries Technical Team, will decide
whether OR NOT to use the money. Sec. 19.4.4. <B>Or maybe Gail Norton will
return or al least someone equally as sinister within future Republican
administrations and make the decisions. </B></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 12pt 0.75in"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">8.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt"> </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">The KHA gives
to the Interior Secretary the Determination whether dam removal is “in the
public interest,” thus delaying action while unnecessarily duplicative NEPA
analysis and state CEQA analysis occurs. Sec. 3.3.1. <B>AGAIN, A REPUBLICAN
ADMINISTRATION MAY ASSERT THAT DAM REMOVAL IN NOT IN THE PUBLIC’S BEST
INTEREST.</B></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 12pt 0.75in"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">9.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt"> </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">The KHA
prohibits the Secretary from choosing dam removal until, among other things, two
States and Congress pass legislation to fund it. Sec. 3.3.4. WITH GROWING
FINANCIAL PROBLEMS OF STATE GOVERNMENTS, CLIMATE CHANGE, YEARS OF DROUGHT AND
MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE <st1:city st="on">SACRAMENTO</st1:city> DELTA AND
<st1:place st="on">CENTRAL VALLEY</st1:place> FARMERS – YUROK TRIBAL LEADERS
SHOULD BE ASKING –<B>WHAT ARE FEINSTEIN AND SCHWARZENEGGER UP TO THESE DAYS?
ALSO THEY NEED TO ASK SALAZAR ABOUT THE “<st1:state
st="on">CALIFORNIA</st1:state> WATER PLAN” AND IF HE MIGHT BE PLANNING TO USE
THE KLAMATH “AGREEMENT” TO LEVERAGE MORE WATER FROM THE <st1:place
st="on"><st1:placename st="on">TRINITY</st1:placename> <st1:placetype
st="on">RIVER</st1:placetype></st1:place> FOR THE FARMERS.</B> </SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 12pt 0.75in"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">10.</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt"> </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">The KHA
minimizes PacifiCorp’s required operational changes until at least 2021,
<B>strips FERC of jurisdiction while the agreement remains in place, and also
protects the utility from compliance with any other measures to improve water
quality.</B> Sec. 6.1.1 and 6.3.4.A.</SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 12pt 0.75in"
class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">11.</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt"> </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">The KHA halts
State water quality certification proceedings, which now are the only remaining
step before FERC would force dam removal. Sec. 6.5. <B>WE CAN NOT FORCE DAM
REMOVAL WITH THE AGREEMENTS</B></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 12pt 0.75in"
class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">12.</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 7pt"> </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">The KHA sets a
mere “target” of 2020 to begin dam removal but also demands $27 million in extra
payments to PacifiCorp if removal begins before 2021. Sec. 7.3.3. <B>NOW ASK
YOURSELVES – WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH THIS!!!!</B></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: justify; MARGIN: 0in 0in 12pt 0.75in"
class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Calibri">PLEASE JOIN WITH THE
GROWING NUMBERS OF YUROK AND KARUK AND SAY ---HELL NO TO BOTH THE <st1:place
st="on"><st1:placename st="on">KLAMATH</st1:placename> <st1:placetype
st="on">BASIN</st1:placetype></st1:place> RESTORATION AGREEMENT (KBRA) AND THE
KLAMATH HYDROELECTRIC SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT (KHSA)!!!!!
</SPAN></B></P></DIV></DIV></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>