Liz Writes Life 12-18-18

December 18, 2018

Liz Writes Life

Apparently, Klamath River Renewal Corp. didn’t like my comments in my column, last week. In my old age, I have found I really don’t like debating issues. But, KRRC spokesman, Matt Cox, is just repeating the propaganda we have been hearing for years -- and ignoring the real issues. So, I must respond, because Klamath dam removal is not a done deal!

First, I will remind readers and KRRC that the residents in Siskiyou County are not stupid country bumpkins. Back on Nov. 2, 2010, there was ballot Measure G sponsored by the Siskiyou Co. Water Users Assoc. It asked the voters if they believed removal of four Klamath River hydro-electric dams was a good thing and 79 percent voted against dam removal.

Second, KRRC needs to show-us-the-money. KRRC has received $25 million to do its propaganda. KRRC claims to have $398 million for dam removal. If it does, where did it come from and into what account is it stored? From newest discussions, it looks like KRRC’s estimated total cost of dam removal is millions short of the real cost. Does it have extra funds for this possibility? Where are they?

Third, show us the insurance policies and monies that will be readily available for liability. Are they now in place? In Cox’s rebuttal to me, he said they will “soon” have the “guaranteed maximum price contract with a selected design build firm.”

This is my point:  At this moment, KRRC does not have the funds needed for dam destruction or the must-have liability insurance. Again, Klamath dam removal is not a done deal. Do not believe the propaganda.

Fourth: The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is now the sole decision-maker regarding KRRC’s proposed purchase of the regulatory energy licenses from PacifiCorp that would enable KRRC to remove the four Klamath hydro-electric dams.

FERC has not made that decision. Dam removal is not a done deal!

FERC is raising significant issues brought forth by Siskiyou County and interveners, who submitted detailed documents and letters. And, from what I have been able to ascertain, KRRC has yet to provide detailed answers to these issues.

As I said in last week’s column: “A FERC engineer is actively challenging KRRC on its basic information and assumptions.” So, again, Klamath dam removal is not a done deal.

Fifth: What are interveners? These groups or individuals have joined a plaintiff in litigation. Loy Beardsmore is a resident with a home in the Copco area, where the proposed removal of dams will occur. She has done the legal work to become an intervener. Loy has raised significant questions and even went to Washington D.C., last month, to press her concerns with government agencies. I talked with Loy and asked why she is so adamant against removal of the dams. Here are her responses to my questions.

“I felt an enormous responsibility to represent the people that live around Copco. I wanted to give the White House and the DOI (Department of Interior) a personal connection to the effects that this entire process is having on the residents around Copco, Irongate and Siskiyou County,” Loy said.

Through our two Siskiyou County Supervisors’, Chairman Ray Haupt and Lisa Nixon, trip to Washington D.C. in early November, Loy was able to meet with an Associate Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and a Special Assistant of Intergovernmental and External Affairs. Yep, these are fairly important people in President Trump’s White House administration that deal directly with agencies like the Dept. of Interior.

Loy gave, both verbally and with her documents, her rebuttal to KRRC’s Definite Plan for Klamath dams removal. She provided photos that show the instability of slopes and the dry landscape. Loy explained how property values truly have plummeted in the area, including her own house. There is the real possibility of home owners losing the water in their wells, when the reservoirs behind the dams are gone. KRRC is trying to do studies on this possibility, but Loy said KRRC has yet to address how KRRC will realistically fix this problem. She said KRRC has suggested hauling water to above-ground storage tanks. For how long? And who will pay the cost of the additional electricity to pump and haul this water?

The Paradise Camp Fire was fresh in everyone’s minds, when Loy was in WA D.C. She asked about fire mitigation and questioned KRRC’s fire management plan of using dry fire hydrants, pipes to the river and a pumper truck to suck up water to fight potential fires. This may look good on paper, but is not realistic. The reservoirs, behind the dams, are needed for aerial firefighting and pumping of water.

Actually, that is Loy’s biggest concern – what is realistic?  What really will happen, when the four dams are destroyed? Loy and Siskiyou County and the Siskiyou Co. Water Users Assoc. have responded to KRRC’s Definite Plan and allege there are vast amounts of incorrect information and assumptions.

Loy said numerous aspects of KRRC’s Definite Plan utilized old data from 2010-2011, which refers to the defunct Klamath Basin Restoration Plan. The fact that KRRC has not updated its facts, science, financial data and liability costs is appalling. Propaganda, rhetoric and pie-in-the sky dreams are not answers. They are not facts. They are not realistic!

What is credible is that White House officials and FERC are now listening to Loy, other interveners and to Siskiyou County. Loy and our county have received additional phone calls and communications from the White House and DOI higher-ups. If you have realistic concerns about environmental, financial, fire management and other data Klamath dam removal, Loy encourages you to write FERC.

Here is the address: David E. Capka, P.E. Office of Energy Projects Director, Division of Dam Safety and Inspections (D2SI) Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 888 First Street, N.E., Routing Code: PJ-13 Washington, D.C. 20426

Oh, and I hope you have a very nice Christmas!

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. Check out her blog at: LizWritesLife.blogspot.com.

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Liz Writes Life 12-11-18

Dec. 11, 2018

Liz Writes Life

Nice to see some drizzle on Monday morning along with the fog. Can’t believe the night temps have been so warm. I definitely don’t need to stoke the woodstove. Most of the time, I just let it put-put along. Over the weekend, the East coast was hammered with snow. Sure do hope our mountains get a lot more. For now, it seems like last week’s snow was just a big tease.

Oh, and last week, I saw several hundred geese in Clint Custer’s grain field and a few days before that there was a large herd of elk down in the swampy area. Wildlife likes Scott Valley farms.

Klamath dams

At the November Scott Valley Protect Our Water meeting, Dist. 5 Siskiyou Co. Supervisor, Ray Haupt, told us that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is blowing the Klamath River Renewal Corp’s dam removal analysis on flooding out of the water. Apparently, nearly all the actions KRRC is proposing for taking out the four hydro-electric dams, KRRC assumed a perfect outcome. Natural Resource science is a “messy science and difficult to predict,” Ray said. Isn’t that the truth!

Some of KRRC’s assumptions are ridiculous. First, in my mind, is the fact that KRRC’s model only shows possible flooding within the first five miles below the Iron Gate dam. What! Many floods, especially in the years 1955 and 1964, devastated the riverbanks throughout the 190 miles to the Pacific Ocean.

There are 34 homes along the Klamath River in those first five miles and KRRC did propose several remedies to flooding. One was to put the houses on stilts and another was to build dams around them. Yep, KRRC really did put that in their fix-it part of the plan. How unrealistic can KRRC get?

During a meeting in Sacramento, several weeks ago, Ray met with Lester Snow (president of the KRRC board) and other state officials. He reminded them the four Klamath River dams are used for flood control. Potential flooding, damage to highways and isolation of residents and towns, like Happy Camp, are a public safety issue; and will result in huge emergency services problems for the State of California if not addressed. Yep, they have not been addressed by the state or KRRC.

Siskiyou County wrote an extensive response to the outrageously naïve and inept KRRC definite plan and FERC realizes the arguments are credible and if not addressed will create a huge financial liability. A FERC engineer is actively challenging KRRC on its basic information and assumptions. This is really good, folks. Finally, our county is receiving some head-nodding on its concerns and unaddressed issues.

More dam news

On Nov. 21, 2018, the non-profit Siskiyou County Water Users Assoc. filed a motion to dismiss the FERC proceedings that would transfer the four Klamath River hydro-electric dams to KRRC ownership. FERC has not ruled on SCWUA’s previous motion regarding the re-licensing of the hydro-electric dams into KRRC’s ownership and so SCWUA filed a Writ of Mandamus to force the situation.

In a press release, SCWUA claims the parties to the Amended Klamath Hydroelectric Service Agreement, along with the states of Oregon and California and other signatory parties, including PacifiCorp and the Klamath River Renewal Corp., are attempting to evade Federal law by seeking to transfer the dams to a third party (KRRC) for purpose of destruction of the hydroelectric facilities and the reservoirs behind them.

SCWUA contends KRRC does not have the millions of dollars needed to pay for dam removal; and that KRRC is not equipped to handle the magnitude of the project; and unaddressed liabilities will cause havoc to water quality and the environment.

SCWUA demands that FERC should rule on its motion to dismiss, which would stop the application process of PacifiCorp relicensing the hydro-electric facilities to KRRC. I am not sure when a response to the Writ of Mandamus will be.

More water storage

Finally, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture has announced a $449 million loan to the Sites Reservoir Project Authority. Our Dist. 1 Congressman, Doug LaMalfa, has been working with CA. Democrat Congressman John Garamendi to get the Site’s Reservoir built, so more water can be stored in California. Regulations and the slow-process of bureaucracies within government agencies have frustrated LaMalfa, who has been pushing for funding for years. He was pleased with the USDA loan.

The Sites Reservoir project is a proposed 1.8 million acre-foot off-stream reservoir located in Glenn and Colusa Counties that will use existing infrastructure to divert high-winter flows from the Sacramento River. It does not dam a major stream or river and will create new environmental benefits, while relieving pressure on Lake Shasta, Folsom Lake and other Northern CA. reservoirs.

California is lagging way behind in water storage. The current water supply infrastructure was built for 20 million people, but now serves a population of nearly 40 million.

Meanwhile, I didn’t realize the project to raise Shasta Dam 18 feet really is underway. Several groups have tried to stop the project, including the Center for Biological Diversity, which claims the Shasta Salamander will go extinct, because it will lose its habitat. What bunk!

I had forgotten that CA. voters did approve the raising of the Shasta Dam that will add 600,000 acre feet of storage to the lake. Construction for the dam began in 1938, but World War II caused a severe labor shortage and the dam was actually downsized, but building continued because electricity was also needed for the war effort. So, this is good to see expansion of the dam will actually happen.

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. Check out her blog at: LizWritesLife.blogspot.com.

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Liz Writes Life 12-4-18

Dec. 4, 2018

Liz Writes Life

Whoo hoooo! Snow!

I think Callahan received as much snow as Quartz Valley on Sunday morning. Sure is nice to see the white stuff on the mountains and trees. We suffered a long, dry spell -- for sure. Didn’t get as cold Monday morning as was predicted, which was nice. It is so frustrating, when pipes start freezing.

POW

Erin Ryan, who works for Congressman Doug LaMalfa, attended the Scott Valley Protect Our Water meeting last Thursday. She said his office is, once again, dealing with a disaster – the Camp Fire that destroyed 90 percent of Paradise near Chico. 

FEMA responded quickly and set up a local assistance center by Nov. 12^th. The Camp Fire burned-out most of Paradise and surrounding towns on Nov. 8, 2018. LaMalfa’s office has received few complaints about FEMA, which is good. For home owners that do not have insurance, FEMA will pay $8,300 per person and a little over $30,000 for a family – to help them during the initial crisis.

Interestingly, Erin has received calls from people who have called in the past to complain about the congressman, but now demand help. One even complained she won’t live in a FEMA trailer and expects Doug to find a better home for her. FEMA has designated 2,000 trailers for the homeless victims, but a major problem is finding property to place the trailers.

Once again, our congressman met with U.S. Sec. of Interior, Ryan Zinke, and U.S. Sec. of Ag., Sonny Perdue, to witness the ghastly devastation. This time, more than 19,000 structures – mostly homes – were incinerated within the first two days of the fire. When President Donald Trump flew into Sacramento on Air Force 1, Congressman Doug was with him, along with two other California Congressmen, Kevin McCarthy and Ken Calvert. They then toured the ashes of the Camp Fire with Trump claiming the forests must be managed.

It is amazing to me the accusers against Trump who disagree with forest management. Those of us who live in and near the forest know they are tremendously over-grown and must be thinned or they will continue to go up in huge flames producing air-polluting smoke. Even if environmentalists don’t care about humans dying, look at the horrible deaths suffered by the wild animals that cannot race out of harm’s way. Right now, 88 people are known to have died in the Camp Fire.

Keeping LaMalfa in office will surely aid this process of changing strangling regulations to thin the forests. At this point, a new congressperson would not have any connections, clout or understanding of how to or who to work with.

A Farm Bill has been approved in congressional committee. Erin said it has some good forest management regulations in it, but the Democrats are fighting both the forest and farm aspects, instead, wanting more monies for food stamps. About 80 percent of the Farm Bill is for food stamps.

She also mentioned that since the Congressional House is now majority Democrat, it will propose and pass a lot of liberal or frustrating bills. But, she added that most bills are not likely to pass the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate. There will be a lot of noise, posturing and demands – and in my estimation much of the news media will loudly support the House bills – yet, the bills will be worthless without U.S. Senate passage and Trump signing them into law.

Remember, President Bill Clinton was impeached by the House, but the Senate did not follow suit. So, he was not kicked-out of office. There will be a lot of hype for the next two years.

Ray Haupt, chairman of the Siskiyou Co. Supervisors, spoke about his trip to WA. D.C. and the meetings he attended. He explained that President Trump has held meetings during the past year, inviting local supervisors and sheriffs, from all the states, to discuss their concerns. This was the last meeting and 300 local officials from California, Hawaii and Alaska were invited. Sadly, only about 35 showed up. Alaska had the largest contingency of about 15. They were mostly Eskimos and “fun people,” Ray said. He added they love Trump because he opened-up the oil industry.

Siskiyou Co. paid for Ray’s and Dist. 4 Supervisor, Lisa Nixon’s, trip and Ray said he invited his wife, Pat, to go and they, personally, paid for her trip. They also paid for their extra day to visit patriotic attractions.

Although, the group was invited by President Trump, the meetings were with White House staff, cabinet secretaries and federal agency officials. But, while Sec. of Transportation Elaine Chao was speaking, several Secret Service men walked-in and then President Trump. What a surprise! Ray was sitting on the front row and thoroughly enjoyed Trump as he literally invited questions from the small group and chatted. He was very personable, Ray observed.  

In other meetings, Ray was able to spotlight specific issues, like the “must” for forest thinning, management and improving regulations fighting wildfire, huge problems with the spotted owl Endangered Species Act listing and NorthWest Forest Plan, water and fisheries. Those meeting were with the Dept. of Interior Deputy Under Secretary, Interim Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Director of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service Chief, U.S. Under Sec. of Ag. and advisor to Pres. Trump, Kelly Ann Conway. There may be a few more I missed.

In one meeting, Ray was asked about the Klamath dams. Apparently, there is a big disconnect between the non-profit Klamath River Renewal Corp (that claims it is taking four hydro-electric Klamath dams out) and Trump’s administration. The White House hardly even knows about the KRRC. Sounds like the KRRC is making a lot of noise in Siskiyou and Klamath Counties with very little support from Trump’s administration. Oops!

Remember, there still there is not enough money garnered by KRRC to remove the dams or approval by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to re-license the dams under KRRC. Ray reiterated the potential of flooding and resulting safety and health issues that would affect his constituents, which was met with great concern.

One of Ray’s new friends, in the Dept. of Interior, gave him a tour of the capitol. The House was not in session and Ray said he was awed by the fact he was able to walk onto the House floor and sit and ponder the significance of being in such an historical and powerful place. He added that he felt very blessed. It was a humbling, gratifying experience and he was proud to take Siskiyou County’s concerns and frustrations to WA. D.C.  

Ray, like Lisa, planned for the trip. He left briefing papers everywhere he went and with everyone he met. Siskiyou County has been able to make its mark at the federal level, thanks to our dedicated county supervisors.

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. Check out her blog at: LizWritesLife.blogspot.com.

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Liz Writes Life 11-27-18

November 27, 2018

Liz Writes Life

Autumn finally showed-up bringing the much-needed rain. My goodness, it is wonderful. Back in the first week of November, I planted garlic adding a sack of manure to improve the soil. But, because it was so dry and because I did not want to irrigate it until the autumn weather arrived, I didn't water it. So, I expect this rain to get the garlic started doing whatever garlic does during winter.

This rain should moisten the soil enough that I can finally get the yucky tomato plants pulled up. It was about the time that I planted the garlic that I dug up the potatoes. They were volunteers and really didn't produce well. Ended up with about 20 pounds worth. Also cleaned-up the cucumber vines at that time. What is left of the zucchini also needs to be removed.

Supervisors

I wanted to mention that our county supervisors approved a letter to the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Director, Chuck Bonham, of its opposition to the state's proposed purchase of the Shasta Big Springs and Nelson Ranches in Shasta Valley.

The letter explains the county's continued frustrations. The major one is the unresolved issue of un-paid property taxes on other properties owned by the CDFW throughout the county, which exceeds $700,000! Apparently, no future tax payments are expected from the state, even though the county has implored the state for the monies.

A year or two ago, the California state legislature approved the funds for rural counties to be paid these taxes, but Gov. Jerry Brown used the money for something else.

The letter states the county is at the immediate risk of losing $26,000 annually, which The Nature Conservancy currently pays under the Williamson Act. It is TNC that purchased the properties from private landowners and is now trying to sell to CDFW.

Ray Haupt, chairman of the Siskiyou Supervisors' Board, told me that the county can't afford the state or federal governments taking more land that they won't pay taxes on.

The opposition letter continues: “Since CDFW purchased a conservation easement and took control of the properties' water rights from TNC, and subsequently dedicated these water rights to in-stream flows, there have been sweeping impacts to the working landscape and diverse ecosystem of the area; including encroaching invasive weed species, reduction in diverse plant species, reduction in waterfowl and Sandhill crane utilization of the property, loss of groundwater recharge and limited agricultural activities. Additionally, although there has been complete in-stream dedication, fisheries within the Big Springs complex have not dramatically improved and the county fears that other future actions by CDFW, including potential removal of the Little Springs culverts, will have limited benefits to fisheries and negative impacts to groundwater recharge and neighboring wells.”

The Board “fully” supports activities to improve and protect fish species and habitat. But, the board contends CDFW is working to maintain a single-species management (coho salmon) and the board believes management for multi-species is much more beneficial. So do I!

The letter encourages CDFW to sell to private ownership and include collaborative relationships between property owners, CDFW and the county. These kind of working relationships will improve habitat restoration and water quality projects, increased in-stream flows and reinstate irrigation to the landscape. The county also supports tail-water capture and reuse, winter groundwater recharge and fish supplementation.

Sure do hope the CDFW will listen to our county supervisors.

Republican Women

Siskiyou County Supervisors, Lisa Nixon and Ray Haupt, spoke at the Siskiyou Co. Republican Women Federated meeting, earlier this month, sharing their experiences in WA. D.C. Lisa spoke first and praised Ray for his expertise as a forester and the NorthWest Forest Plan during their meetings with Dept. of Interior, Agriculture and U.S. Forest Service. Lisa said she was also able to reiterate, in meetings, the bad science used to list the Northwest Spotted Owl to the Endangered Species Act.

During the past two years, the Trump administration invited all county supervisors and sheriffs to WA D.C. This was the last group and included California, Alaska and Hawaii. Lisa said President Donald Trump spoke to the large group – and they were able to sit about 30 feet away! Our supervisors also met with Dept. of Interior Secretary, Dept. of Transportation Secretary, U.S. Dept of Veterans, Ag. Under Secretary, Jim Hubbard, USFS Chief and Kelly Ann Conway, an adviser to Pres. Trump.

Lisa said she wanted to drive home the damage that will occur to water quality and the environment if the Klamath dams are removed. She also brought up liability – who will be liable for the devastation?

Forest health, tree mortality, problems with the Endangered Species Act and dreaded wildfires were issues Siskiyou and other rural counties brought up. Heavy smoke throughout the summer is negatively impacting tourism. The Shakespeare Festival in Ashland estimates it lost over $2 million last summer, because of the cancellation of plays held outside.

Lisa said there is a big change going on in the DOI. Higher-ups are realizing their rules have been interpreted poorly – in a very heavy-handed way at the lower levels. She said DOI seemed to be sincere in moving to support active management of the forests and that local management must be fully engaged. Wow, that is a huge step in the right direction.

As a help to counties, Lisa said the Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao is working to streamline permitting and supports cutting red-tape at local levels. And in an unusual turn, officials from the Environmental Protection Agency actually talked about issues in rural communities.

During the meeting with Pres. Trump, he said the forests must be managed and thinned and his administration will “work with you so hard.” Les Baugh, a supervisor from Shasta County presented President Trump with an appreciation award for his administration's help on last summer's Carr Fire.

Lisa said “face time” with high-up officials was extremely valuable. “They were stunned by some of the things we told them,” she said, regarding issues, bad science and regulations harming Siskiyou County. She felt there was a sincere level of understanding. The trip was “very positive,” she said.

POW

Next week, I'll talk about Ray's adventures in WA. D.C. He also held meetings with CA. state-level folks, recently. To hear Ray yourself, attend the Scott Valley Protect Our Water meeting this Thurs., Nov. 29, 2018 at the Fort Jones Community Center at 7 p.m.

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. Check out her blog at: LizWritesLife.blogspot.com.