Klamath River News: Oct. 20, '06

Klamath River News

* TWO STATES TO ADDRESS KLAMATH RIVER TROUBLES,
* VICTORY FOR KLAMATH RIVER SALMON,
* KLAMATH SALMON LIMITS MAY BE EASED.

ACTION ALERTS:
* Public hearings set on Klamath Dams: Nov. 14th, 15th, 16th,
* Rally and testify for the Klamath: Oct 25th
* Come to the Scott and Shasta Coho Take Permits hearings: Oct 24th and 25th
or write written comments:

TWO STATES TO ADDRESS KLAMATH RIVER TROUBLES
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski announced plans Thursday for a multi-state summit to address ways to fix the troubled Klamath River, blamed for nearly shutting down the West Coast commercial salmon season this year.
Dams on the river have had a serious effect on salmon and other fish in the river.

The call for a summit comes as federal energy regulators are wrangling over whether to approve a new long-term license for four Klamath hydropower dams considered a culprit in the river's sagging salmon runs.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-sbriefs13.2oct13,1,976420.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california

VICTORY FOR KLAMATH RIVER SALMON
SACRAMENTO-Native American tribes, commercial fishermen, recreational anglers and environmental groups have won a huge victory here.
In the first test of a controversial federal dam relicensing law, an administrative law judge ruled Sept. 27 that fish passage requirements sought by federal fishery agencies for relicensing of PacifiCorp’s Klamath River dams were “legally sound and based on solid facts.”
The ruling by Judge Parlen McKenna is a big victory for Klamath Basin Tribes, commercial and recreational fishermen and environmental organizations that are pushing for removal of four dams on northern California’s Klamath River in order to restore salmon, steelhead and other fish to the watershed.
“The judge affirmed what we have been saying for years — the river is in a lot of pain caused by PacifiCorp’s dams,” said Steve Rothert of American Rivers.
http://www.pww.org/article/articleview/9976/1/343/

KLAMATH SALMON LIMITS MAY BE EASED
The Associated Press
GRANTS PASS, Ore. - Federal fisheries managers are considering easing restrictions on catching Klamath River salmon to prevent a repeat of this year's near-shutdown of commercial salmon fishing on the West Coast.
If the Pacific Fisheries Management Council adopts a more flexible approach at its November meeting to protect the wild runs of fall chinook in Northern California's Klamath River, it will not have to conduct the last-minute emergency rule making it did this year trying to prevent salmon fishing from being completely shut down off Oregon and California.
http://159.54.227.3/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060922/NEWS06/609220307

DATES SET TO COMMENT FOR KLAMATH DAM REMOVAL:
The final comment period on the Klamath Dams is now open. The comment period end on November 24th. Three public hearings for Yreka, Klamath Falls and Eureka are set.

For further information, please contact John Mudre at e-mail address john.mudre [at] ferc.gov, or by telephone at (202) 502-8902. Four public meetings, which will be recorded by an official stenographer, are scheduled as follows.

DATE : Tuesday, November 14, 2006 TIME : 9:00 a.m.-12:00 noon (PST)
PLACE : Shilo Inn ADDRESS: 2500 Almond Street : Klamath Falls, Oregon

DATE : Wednesday, November 15, 2006 TIME : 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon (PST)
PLACE : Yreka Community Theatre ADDRESS:812 North Oregon Street : Yreka, California

DATE : Wednesday, November 15, 2006 TIME : 7:00 -10:00 p.m. (PST)
PLACE : Yreka Community Theatre ADDRESS: 812 North Oregon Street Yreka, California

DATE : Thursday, November 16, 2006 TIME : 7:00 -10:00 p.m. (PST)
PLACE : Red Lion Hotel ADDRESS: 1929 Fourth Street Eureka, California.

For more information on how to help take out the Klamath Dams or to host a movie showing or teach in contact Regina, the Klamath Riverkeeper, at klamath [at] riseup.net or call 530 627-3280.

RALLY AND TESTIFY FOR A CLEAN KLAMATH: OCT 25th
Join the Riverkeeper in Sacramento to turn in a letter from 35 groups asking for toxic algae regulation .
12:30 pm
1001 Ist Sacramento

Come out and tell the State Water Resources Board (SWRB) to help clean up the toxic algae in the Klamath Reservoirs. It is the job of the State Board to make sure that the rivers in their area are "fishable and swimmable" which is the exact wording of the Clean Water Act. Yet after two years of record breaking toxic blooms, nothing has been done to regulate the largest human heath treat in the Klamath. TOXIC ALGAE BLOOMS THAT ARE UP TO 4000x WHAT IS SAFE TO RECREATE IN.

The water board sometimes needs the public to encourage them to do their job. Please come out and tell your story of why you don't feel safe in the Klamath River, or what the river means to you.
Call Regina for more information 530 627-3280.

COME TO THE COHO TAKE PERMIT PUBLIC MEETINGS : Oct 24th and 25th
or write written comments:
Hearing are set for Yreka and Ft. Jones.

The times and locations for the workshops and scoping meetings are listed below.

• Tuesday, October 24th – Shasta River Watershed-Wide Permitting Program. Location: Miner’s Inn, 122 E. Miner Street, Yreka. The public workshop will be from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. The scoping meeting will run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

• Wednesday, October 25th – Scott River Watershed-Wide Permitting Program. Location: Fort Jones Community Center, 11960 East Street, Fort Jones. The public workshop will be from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. The scoping meeting will run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Call Regina for more info 530 627-3280
OR Call Bob Williams, Department of Fish and Game 530-225-2365