November 11 is Veteran’s Day.
During the past election, old wounds surfaced that had never truly healed. I would like to
take this opportunity to say “Welcome Home,” particularly to our Viet Nam Vets.
Please let me shake your hand and tell you how much I personally appreciate your service
to our country. I honor and respect you. I know that my freedom has been secured by the
sacrifices that you and other veterans have made for us all.
Let us all remember to support and welcome home our sons, daughters,
relatives and neighbors who are currently in military service. Remember to check on their
families and make sure that their needs are met and that they receive our support as well.
If you would like to send an e-mail of thanks to someone serving in the military, here is
a website: http://anyservicemember.navy.mil/ The V.A. has a website for Veteran’s Day
activities at http://www1.va.gov/vetsday/ .
On another note, I wanted to provide a brief update concerning
various “basin-wide” processes that are happening up and down the Klamath River
system. Recently, the Governors of the States of California and Oregon signed the “Klamath
Watershed Coordination Agreement” with four cabinet level federal agencies and the President's Council on Environmental Quality. The
agreement pledges coordination and to place a priority on Klamath system to resolve water
quantity, water quality and fish and wildlife resource problems in the basin. It also is
an agreement to implement the Conservation Implementation Plan (CIP.) http://www.doi.gov/news/klamathagreement.pdf
Public hearings for the proposed basin-wide CIP have been held in
Yreka and throughout the system. http://www.usbr.gov/mp/kbao/docs/CIP-ProgramDoc.pdf
A coalition of counties and various interests has formed to develop and advance an
alternative “bottom-up” approach to the basin-wide forum, which respects the
role of elected County and Tribal governments in the decision-making process. Several
Counties, including Siskiyou, have asked for the comment period on the proposal to be
extended to allow for additional time to broaden the coalition and develop its alternative
concept.
This week a special “listening session” took place where
many farmers and ranchers from the Scott and Shasta Valley were given the opportunity to
meet with representatives from federal and State regulatory agencies to voice their
concerns and frustrations. Staff from our legislator’s offices were also invited to
attend. This is an important step in making sure that the people who are directly affected
by regulations feel that the regulators really hear them and understand the very personal
consequences of policies and requirements that are being implemented.
There is also a several day retreat facilitated by Bob Chadwick being
held locally this week. I attended a similar session in Somes Bar this past summer. “Listening”
activities are conducted among people from various interest groups throughout the Basin. I found the sessions helpful in increasing my
understanding of the passion that people feel about their connection to nature/natural
resources and the similarity among the many small communities up and down the rivers. I
left with closer connections to people from other areas.
However, I have found an underlying agenda to use the process to move
into a consensus type community-based decision-making structure for visioning and
restoration planning. We currently have a decision-making structure called County
government. It has checks and balances on what can or cannot be regulated and protects the
rights and property of individuals in the process. It allows for consideration and
balancing of a broad spectrum of impacts in the decision-making process, including
economic and social impacts. The decision-makers are directly accountable to the
electorate through the ballot box. I caution participants in this new process to keep firm
hold of the reins in guiding its direction and destination.
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