Liz Writes Life 3-20-19

March 20, 2019

Liz Writes Life

March Madness

Typically, an issue pops-up, which gets a significant number of people upset this time of year. Yep, it happened. Unfortunately, I have heard some pretty outlandish rumors regarding the Scott Valley Area Plan issue and fingers are pointing to the county supervisors. I don’t believe they deserve these accusations because the issue is not at their level of determination, yet.

Remember, there is a legal process that a proposed ordinance must follow. This one is still in committee and in draft form. Gee whiz, it was not a done deal – not even close.

I didn’t jump on the bandwagon when someone sent me an on-line petition to sign that was against the draft ordinance, which people seem to think will amend the Scott Valley Plan. From my discussions, I don’t believe this agri-tourism or agri-marketing ordinance will amend the Scott Valley Plan at the planning commission level; and I don’t sign any on-line petitions. The only petitions I will sign are hardcopy, where I have read the petition and then write my signature and residence, if I choose.

Michael Stapleton brought the subject up at the Feb. 28, 2019 Scott Valley Protect Our Water meeting. Ray Haupt, our Dist. 5 Siskiyou Co. Supervisor, said it was at the Siskiyou Co. Planning Commission level. This means the supervisors were not yet involved, and shouldn’t be, because, and I repeat, because it was still in the draft committee stage. It is the members of the committee, who should be contacted. If you are not satisfied, then talk to your planning commissioner. This ordinance is not in front of the supervisors at this time.

Here in Siskiyou County we do not elect the planning commissioners. They are appointed by our county supervisors, who are elected from his or her district. These are our supervisors and the appointed planning commissioners: Dist. 1 Co. Supervisor Brandon Criss appointed Blair Hart. Dist. 2 Supervisor Ed Valenzuela appointed Tony Melo. Dist. 3 Supervisor Michael Kobseff appointed Danielle Lindler. Dist. 4 Supervisor Lisa Nixon appointed Dusty Veale. And Dist. 5 Supervisor Ray Haupt appointed Jeff Fowle.

Today, March 20, 3019, the draft ordinance will be brought to the Siskiyou Co. Planning Commission to approve or disapprove or to send back for revisions. I hope it will be revised to meet with more agreement from the community as there are likely legitimate concerns.  

The commission’s monthly meeting is held the third Wednesday of each month at 9 a.m. at the county courthouse in the Siskiyou Co. Supervisors’ board room. This is where you also voice your questions and frustrations and complaints. Submit your comments, so they will be part of the “record,” which then must be addressed.

Also, just because I am concerned about the lack of civility and the apparent lack of understanding of a legal county procedure, doesn’t mean I am for the draft ordinance. I have not read it. I do believe we need to define agri-tourism and agri-marketing better. I do believe in niche marketing. I am for businesses doing more than just survive in our county. Yet, our open space must be a priority. Those who have feelings on the subject should get involved.

And, some of the rumors, I have heard, also lumped several different issues into this draft ordinance. Be careful as they are different issues and must be dealt with separately. Hopefully, after today’s planning commission meeting tempers will have abated into sensibility -- or be directed at me!

Yep, March Madness is a mess. Real communication – not gossip -- is the key plus heavy doses of objectivity and calmness. But, today is the first day of spring! Maybe we all can get along.

Correction

After believing I had found the correct information on the snow measurements by the USFS in the mountains surrounding Scott Valley online, and reported it last week, I learned it was wrong. Don’t know why that info was not correct? But this week KNF, emailed its regular report stating the employees were only able to measure Swampy John above Etna at 5,500 feet above sea level. The official report said there was 106-inches of snow, which was way above the average of 71-inches making it 149 percent of average. This is really good news.

The other measuring stations were unable to be measured on March 1^st, because of the heavy storm conditions. The reports said this was a rare event in the 72-year history of measuring the five stations. So, if it doesn’t get too warm, the April 1^st measurement should be quite high. Yay!

Yep, these past days have been spring-like. Makes us want to get out and clean-up the gardens and lawns. One batch of yellow daffodils started blooming along the west side of the house. I need to check and make sure there is enough moisture under the clear plastic tub, where I planted the lettuce seeds on March 9, 2019.

PacifiCorp

Last month, PacifiCorp submitted its response to the CA. State Water Resources Control Board’s Draft Environmental Impact Report on the non-profit Klamath River Renewal Corp’s Definite Plan to remove the dams. Whew, that’s a mouthful. I read the first six pages of the 314 page document. In it PacifiCorp expresses major concerns regarding the removal of the four Klamath hydro-electric dams. This is really good stuff.

PacifiCorp’s Managing Director of Renewable Resources, Mark Sturtevant, signed the letter. In the introduction, PacifiCorp said it, “fully supports the KHSA (Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement) as a balanced outcome for its customers, so long as all the customer protections embodied in the agreement are achieved.” Later in that paragraph, the letter said, “From the outset, PacifiCorp has consistently held that its customers must be protected against the unknown costs and risks of implementing these policy preferences, and the liability and indemnification provisions of the KHSA were expressly negotiated to accomplish these protections?” Well, that is good to know.

PacifiCorp is quite concerned about liability and mentions there are many uncertain outcomes and significant risks from environmental impacts of dam removal. The best statement is the final paragraph.

“The issues we identify in our attached comments must be addressed to ensure the final EIR and water quality certification are legally justified and defensible. As detailed in our technical and legal comments, the Draft EIR does not meet the requirements of CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act). Critically, it relies on outdated data, inaccurately evaluates the impacts of sediment discharges and minimizes impacts to listed species while also overstating adverse impacts related to continued operation of the Klamath Hydroelectric Project. Our comments are intended to inform and improve the environmental analysis contained in a revised and recirculated Draft EIR, and further the KHSA signatories’ efforts to successfully fulfill all the conditions of the KHSA.”

This pretty much sums-up what the County of Siskiyou, intervener and local landowner, Loy Beardsmore, Siskiyou Water Users Association and many other concerned citizens have been saying for years. Klamath dam removal is not a done deal!

Thank you, PacifiCorp, for your thorough analysis of the Water Board’s Draft EIR!

Liz Bowen began writing ranch and farm news, published in newspapers, in 1976. She is a native of Siskiyou County and lives near Callahan. Call her at 530-467-3515.

# # #