April 10, 2019
Liz Writes Life
Garden
Sure was happy to wake-up to a good April rain on Monday
morning. I really didn’t want to have to drag-out a bunch of hoses to water the
perennials. The violets are so happy and the lung wort has lots of little blue
flowers, but not many pink ones. The Oriental poppies really grew last week and
some are over a foot tall. Tansy is starting to grow and I have not gotten the
dead stems pulled out. I am really feeling pushed to get the yard cleaned-up,
but wondering when my energy-level will meet the need!
The peas should have been planted last month, but the
lettuces are about an inch tall and that is without the plastic tub on top.
Early-morning freezes haven’t bothered them. Oh, and the yellow forsythia
bushes are starting to bloom along with a new batch of daffodils. Spring is
here and so is the work!
Klamath dams
There is some interesting news on the Klamath dams dilemma. Ray
Haupt, Dist. 5 Siskiyou Co. Supervisor, told me that the non-profit Klamath
River Renewal Corp. has asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for an “extension”
for its response to written concerns of its Definite Plan for removal of four
Klamath hydro-electric dams.
Remember, KRRC has asked FERC for a hydro-electric transfer
of the four dams from the present owner PacifiCorp -- with the goal of
destroying the four dams, once KRRC has ownership. Because FERC is a federal
entity, federal environmental regulations and analysis must be conducted that
will show how removal of the dams will affect the environment including water
quality.
As a legal intervener, Siskiyou County is challenging KRRC’s
Definite Plan citing inadequate assessed impacts and a number of specific
claims in a 135-page document submitted to FERC and State Water Board. Also,
PacifiCorp has addressed its concerns of the Definite Plan’s inadequacies with a
350-page document submitted to State Water Board and FERC. As a result, FERC is
demanding more detail from KRRC regarding its Definite Plan with responses to
the allegations.
Now, as the April 2019 deadline approaches for KRRC to
provide its answers, KRRC filed for an extension with a deadline of July 31,
2019. This is the second time that KRRC has asked for an extension. Its original
deadline was Dec. 31, 2018.
What is rather strange, according to Ray, is the
“justification explanation” by KRRC for the extension. It is 1,000 pages long.
Wow, that is a really long excuse! I wonder why KRRC doesn’t just
answer the concerns and alleged inadequacies?
“KRRC is getting farther and farther from meeting the demands
of the federal process and due dates,” said Ray, adding that he sees this is
actually a good thing, because “time is our friend.” As the process gets
longer, more and more light shines on the real problems and assessments made in
KRRC’s Definite Plan, he explained.
FERC is required to do the federal environmental analysis
review, but it still does not have a finished document from KRRC to start the
process. Yep, KRRC’s Definite Plan is still incomplete.
Loy Beardsmore, who is a property owner in Copco and is also
a legal intervener contacted me. The fact that KRRC is asking, yet again, for
another extension “shows KRRC’s ineptness,” she said.
Loy has read the Definite Plan and much of the long-excuse
letter. Once again, her concerns have not been addressed on many different levels. Last fall,
she asked questions about well monitoring and received very few definitive
answers. Three weeks ago she submitted them directly to
CDM Smith, the contractor doing the monitoring, and still no answers.
One incident of ineptness, said Loy, is that her own well is
not listed in 2012 Detailed or KRRC's Definite Plan. This
was shocking, especially when she found four more residential wells that KRRC
did not include, despite the fact they are publicly available from
the DWR! Yet, she has been told by KRRC any loss
of water to the wells from the drawdown of Copco Reservoir will be mitigated.
Hum, how will KRRC follow through with mitigation, when it
can claim the wells are not there?
Loy also
added, “If KRRC can't use the resources available to them on such a small
scale, such as identifying a well in public records, how can FERC believe that
the KRRC has the technical ability to remove the dams!”
That is a
great point.
LaMalfa and Trump
Our Congressman, Doug LaMalfa, is in the thick of things.
Last weekend, he was able to travel (along with other California congressmen)
with President Donald Trump to the southern border in Calexico. He reported
that there really is a national security and humanitarian crisis at the border
and it is at the breaking point.
“Border patrol agents are overwhelmed with people from many
countries entering the U.S. illegally,” said LaMalfa. He added, “The lack of
urgency by some of my colleagues to fix this crisis is perplexing and alarming.
Funding for a new and improved physical barrier is absolutely critical. I stand
with the President in demanding that we enforce our nation’s laws and give
border patrol agents the necessary tools to help them secure our border and end
this crisis.”
Last week, our congressman also joined the effort to force a
vote on the bill to protect newborn babies.
LaMalfa said, “Any newborn baby, regardless of whether that
baby survived an abortion or not, deserves a fighting chance at life. We
rigorously protect against the destruction of animal wildlife, but
simultaneously allow for the murder of live newborn infants?” Boy, do I agree
with our congressman.
Also, LaMalfa released a statement
explaining why he voted against the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act.
Apparently, the House Democrat leadership intentionally allowed the law to
expire in an attempt to pack it with partisan policies, such as gun control and
allowing biological males into women’s shelters, rather than do a simple
reauthorization of the law.
“The process has also been atrocious
… . In many ways, this bill would actually harm the very women and girls we’re
trying to protect in the first place,” said LaMalfa, who hopes the Senate will
strip the bill of the harmful partisan provisions.
I so appreciate Doug for his
diligence and action as our congressman.
Fund raiser
The Siskiyou Co. Water Users Assoc. is holding its annual
dinner and fund raiser on Sat., May 4, 2019 at the Miner’s Inn/ Chairman
Richard Marshall it starts at 4:30 p.m. and there will be silent and desert
auctions. Call Kathy Bergeron at 530-842-4400 for ticket information. The
destruction of the Klamath dams is not a done deal, said Chairman Marshall.
Liz Bowen began writing ranch and
farm news, published in newspapers, in 1976. She is a native of Siskiyou County
and lives near Callahan. Columns from the past year can be found at:
lizwriteslife.blogspot.com. Call her at 530-467-3515.
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