Liz Writes Life 6-23-2021 -- FERC allows license transfer for hydroelectric Klamath dams

June 23, 20212

Liz Writes Life

Klamath Dams

Well, it has happened – the true beginning of possible destruction of the four Klamath hydro-electric dams is now in the works.

Last Thursday, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the transfer of the license for the Lower Klamath Hydroelectric Project from PacifiCorp to the non-profit Klamath River Renewal Corp. Bummer! An interesting thing is that both states -- Oregon and California -- are also now co-licensees. This means that both states are on-the-hook for monies needed for the dams’ destruction and protection from any other financial burden.

Yep, we the taxpayers will be paying for this folly – if it happens. And it certainly could. Although, it is not a done deal.

But, the shell non-profit corporation, KRRC, will now tout that dam removal is a done deal. Yes, FERC’s newest order confirms the KRRC has the ability, financially and otherwise, to undertake dam removal with the two states as co-licensees. (I certainly question the financial part.)

Fortunately, the surrender application of the dams is still pending. FERC has not yet made this decision. I believe this is the point where further environmental review is required under the National Environmental Policy Act. In other words, very extensive environmental analysis must be correctly conducted. In the order last Thursday, FERC stated it will continue to engage with all parties and stakeholders to ensure everyone has an opportunity to participate in the process. Sure do hope that is true!

Siskiyou County, Siskiyou Water Users Assoc., Copco property owners, other groups and individuals have fought to save the four Klamath dams. Significant issues regarding the environmental damage that will occur with dam destruction, including the damaging water quality effect on Endangered Species Act-listed coho salmon, have been re-iterated many times.

Case in point: It is estimated more than 20 million cubic yards of sediment will be released from behind the dams. This will tragically affect the Klamath River water quality and environment. Another point is the public safety need for the Copco and Iron Gate reservoirs as water storage and firefighting assets. Losing stored water is just crazy.

I know Siskiyou County and these groups will be ready to present their facts and information during the NEPA process.

Still, I admit this is a sad move by FERC to allow the hydro-power license to be transferred to an entity that does not want to produce power, but will destroy the ability to make power. Just what we don’t need when California can’t make enough power in the 21^st century for its residents!

Hackers affected food supply

Early this month, the public learned that a major food supply company had its computer system hacked – stopping the movement of meats in North America and Australia. I had never heard of the JBS company that was hacked, but soon learned that JBS S.A. is the world’s largest processor of fresh beef and pork. It is a Brazilian company that entered the U.S. market in 2007 with its purchase of Swift & Company. OK, I get it. I just didn’t realize Swift had been sold.

The world-annual sales of JBS is more than U.S. $50 billion based on its 2017 records. JBS USA holding’s offices are in Greeley, Colorado.

According to a press release on June 9, 2021, JBS USA confirmed it paid the equivalent of $11 million in bitcoin ransom to stop the cyberattack. JBS said that most of its facilities were operational at the time of the payment, because of its own cybersecurity protocols, redundant systems and encrypted backup servers. The company said it spends more than $200 million each year on IT and employs more than 850 IT professionals throughout the world. Wow!

The FBI investigated and said the cyberattack came from a Russia-linked hacker group called REvil.

These cyberattacks are certainly a huge threat. And I must say that I really didn’t realize how globalized our food supply and so many other aspects of our economy have become. This was an eye-opener to me. Sure hope the protectors from cyberattack can outsmart the REvil group and other destructive people.

Garden

The heat finished off the bright orange Oriental poppies as well as the iris. Guess it is officially “summer,” now that we have passed the summer solstice.

Nearly everything, including the perennial garden and flower beds, is now on soaker hoses. Yay! I am still using hand-timers, but starting to change several lines to automatic timers that go off during the night. The longest soaker hose irrigates chocolate mint, red bee balm, hollyhocks, comfrey, chives, basil, Echinacea, transplanted parsley, Black-eyed Susans, zinnia, marigolds, volunteer potatoes and the rhubarb. But the rhubarb needs extra hand-watering every day. Yes, I baby the rhubarb.

I harvested the second rhubarb plant, but only took a little over a third of the plant, removing the bottom stems about half-way up. The giant leaves make great mulch around the plant. I had a hard time finding folks to take the rhubarb. Felt like I was trying to give zucchini away!

The second string of 100 feet of soaker hose is mostly on vegetable plants. I did wind a few circles around another batch of red bee balm that is nearly five-feet tall. Bee balm likes a lot of water. The three giant pumpkins and two zucchini are really taking off. Tomatoes are nearly two-feet tall and I have started staking them. The seven cantaloupes are just getting their fourth and fifth leaves, but the cucumbers are bigger at four inches tall.

This week, I learned I should be fertilizing heavier than I typically do with a product called Hawaiian Bud and Bloom 5-50-17. So on Saturday morning, I soaked everything really well, except for rhubarb, comfrey and garlic. The not-yet-blooming phlox even got two gallons.

May peace and calm be with you this week. Smile – just cuz it makes you feel better!

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 can be found at: lizwriteslife.blogspot.com. Call her at 530-467-3515.

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Liz Writes Life 6-16-2021 -- Greyback Road is still uncertain

 June 16, 2021

Liz Writes Life

Update on Greyback Road

Things are still uncertain regarding the official re-opening of the Greyback Road from Happy Camp, in Siskiyou County, over the mountain to O’Brien in Oregon. Local residents utilize the paved road quite often; and it is a popular tourist route in the summer, because it connects with the Redwood Highway. But, it runs through two National Forests.

Over a week ago, I contacted our Siskiyou Co. Supervisor for Dist. 5, Ray Haupt, when several Happy Camp residents called me saying they were frustrated the Forest Service had closed Greyback Road. According to the Klamath National Forest and Rogue River/Siskiyou National Forest websites, an emergency closure was put in place on May 1, 2021 under Forest Orders. A possible permit was available, but no one can find any more information or the ability to obtain one. Because of Covid-19, the USFS doors at the Happy Camp Ranger District remain closed and there are reports of only a recording, when calling the District’s office.

Ray is a retired USFS District Ranger, so I hoped he would be able to figure out the problem. On June 1, 2021, Siskiyou County sent a letter to both National Forests asking the road to be reopened for emergency and safety reasons. I had planned on trying to contact the Forest Supervisors, but by Tuesday, June 8, 2021, Ray had spoken with Rachael Smith, the newly appointed Supervisor of KNF and to Merv George Jr., the Supervisor for Rogue NF.

Ray found the culprit to the problem.

Klamath Forest Alliance, (yep, they are still around after decades of opposition to thinning the forests) a non-profit environmental group, has sued the USFS and also named Forest Supervisors Smith and George. The offense? Using a Decision of Memorandum to fell at-risk trees and include rehabilitation of reseeding and planting in the burned area of the 2020 September Slater Fire.

KFA is calling the DM a “major logging” project stating the USFS has “failed to articulate a rational explanation” for removing the blackened trees. What? Really!

Happy Camp residents are stunned by KFA’s lawsuit. Ray has also surveyed areas of the massive Slater Fire. He said that because of the high severity of the fire, there is “an abnormal amount of dead trees.” Yep, anyone visiting the area can see the miles and miles of sad black trees and desolate environment.

Apparently, a DM gives the federal agency authority to move quickly on these after-fire situations. Waiting two to three years to complete a NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) process will make the trees worthless and slow the restoration process. This is a strategy KFA has often used.

So official re-opening of Greyback Road is under the constraints of the litigation filed by KFA. Yep, Greenies are the culprit and, in my opinion, KFA is stone-walling the rehabilitation of the forest and endangering residents by trying to close an important route. Despicable!

CA automatic gun ban lifted

Shockingly, a U.S. District Court Judge recently ruled in favor of AR-15 rifles.

On June 4, 2021, Judge Roger Benitez ruled in the Southern District of CA in favor of the 2^nd Amendment, when he said California’s weapons ban on assault weapons was unconstitutional. The ban had been in place for 32 years!

Immediately, CA. Governor Gavin Newsom and CA Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the state will appeal the new decision. Of course!

Judge Benitez issued a 30-day “stay” on his own ruling to avoid the testy “back and forth” request for emergency stay, reviews and gamesmanship on the part of the government in seeking the appeal.

Interestingly, the judge made a strong statement in support of the 2^nd Amendment, when writing his decision. Judge Benitez said: “Like the Swiss Army Knife, the popular AR-15 rifle is a perfect combination of home defense weapon and homeland defense equipment. Good for both home and battle … yet, the State of California makes it a crime to have an AR-15 type of rifle.”

Gun Owners of California group was more than pleased with the new decision. GOC Executive Director Sam Paredes said, “We are euphoric in the way that Judge Benitez literally took apart the state’s argument for the Assault Weapons Control Act.”

Paredes added, “Judge Benitez decision is packed with precision, facts and wisdom.  He virtually obliterated the state’s case and kicked open the door for more challenges to California’s reckless gun control laws.”

My goodness this is good news for the Bill of Rights! I just hope Newsom’s appeal doesn’t stand up in court.

Garden

My orange and salmon colored Oriental poppies were late in blooming. In other areas of the valley, the Orientals were blooming in early May, but not mine. I irrigated them every few days hoping for the typical May blooms! They started blooming during the 100-degree temps two weeks ago and boy did they perk-up when it cooled-off last week and drizzled a few times! Ah, that was so nice.

The California poppies looked great this year. My sister, in Utah, even sent photos of a flowerbed full of California poppies! Several purple/lavender columbine and one very tall pale pink and white one are blooming. The red rose bush and the orange-yellow-pink one started blooming, but unfortunately I did not get the two rose bushes pruned and now they are very tall at about nine feet. I did find one bloom low enough for me to get a good smell. Oh, the fragrance of the red one is heavenly!

The early Shasta Daisies and pink, lavender and red Sweet William are also blooming. Yay! Oh, and I am surprised the zinnias are already blooming at just eight-inches tall. The hollyhocks are growing, but not popping-out any flowers, yet. Bees buzz around the little pink bells on the comfrey, but it is four-feet tall and falling over. I need to cut it back and use the foliage for mulch, cuz it is supposed to get hot again this week. Yuck, even though it will make things really grow. The garden vegetable plants are doing well.

May peace and calm be with you this week. Smile – just cuz it makes you feel better!

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 can be found at: lizwriteslife.blogspot.com. Call her at 530-467-3515.

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Liz Writes Life 6-9-21 - Greyback Road is closed

Liz Writes Life

Published in Siskiyou Daily News, Yreka, CA

June 9, 2021

Greyback Road is closed

Happy Camp residents are frustrated and concerned, because the paved Greyback Road has, recently, been closed by the USFS. Greyback is the shortest route into Oregon and is used as a seasonal summer road by locals and tourists. In past weeks, many vehicles, some pulling boats or rafts and groups of bikers were seen traversing the road. But near the bottom of the road, on the Oregon side, there is a new sign that states only those with a “permit” can use the road.

Several folks have called me wondering about this situation and how to obtain a permit. Like them, I checked the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and the Klamath National Forest websites and I can’t figure out how to obtain a permit or what kind of permit it would be. Someone wondered if a fire wood permit could suffice? Hum? In Happy Camp, the USFS ranger station remains closed because of Covid-19.

When looking at the USFS websites, it shows that both local Forests have issued Forest Orders for closure of the Slater Fire area. The Rogue NF’s closure began on May 1, 2021 and runs through July 31, 2021. The Klamath National Forest’s closure is longer and extends from May 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021. Greyback Road is in this area.

I checked with Siskiyou Co. Dist. 5 Supervisor, Ray Haupt, who represents the Happy Camp area. He said residents had told him the road was closed; and on June 1, 2021, the Siskiyou Co. Supervisors voted 5-0 to send a letter to the supervisors of both the KNF and Rogue NF requesting Greyback Road should “be immediately reopened.” Those letters were sent electronically and by US mail.

Ray said Greyback Road is an important emergency egress route. The residents of Happy Camp rely on the road as an “essential evacuation route.” Ray and CA Dist. 1 Congressman Doug LaMalfa told FEMA and the USFS last September, after the Slater Fire, that Greyback Road must be open for emergency and safety purposes.

Now, it looks like the Rogue NF is getting tough. I received a phone call on Sunday night stating that USFS officers or Park Rangers are stopping vehicles, but so far have only issued warnings. Some vehicle drivers and a motorcycle group have been turned back, when found on the road by these officers.

The question is: Why after all this time is the road being closed? There has been sufficient time to get dangerous snags removed.

The county wants the road open and is working to that end.

I was not able to contact either USFS Forest Supervisor for comment, because of my weekend deadline for this column. I hope to contact them for next week’s column.

Newsom on hook for $2 million

Under terms of a court settlement regarding California Governor Gavin Newsom’s shut-down of churches during the Covid-19 pandemic, the governor and his administration can no longer place pandemic restrictions on houses of worship.

The settlement was issued two weeks ago in a California District Court on behalf of Pasadena’s Harvest Rock Church and Harvest International Ministry; and is the first statewide permanent injunction in the United States against Covid-19 restrictions on churches and places of worship.

Newsom’s administration will have to pay the church’s attorney’s fees to the tune of $1.6 million to settle the lawsuit; and will also pay another $555,000 toward the lawsuit filed by Catholic priest, Fr. Trevor Burfitt, who oversees mission churches in the counties of Kern, San Bernardino, San Diego and Los Angeles.

Yep, this is good news for the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and a huge win for religious freedom.

Walking Tours in Yreka

The Siskiyou Co. Historical Society is holding three walking tours this weekend. They all start at 5 p.m. and cost $5 each. On Friday, June 11, 2021, the group will learn about Miner’s Street. On Saturday, June 12, 2021, the tour will be at St. Joseph’s Cemetery. And on Sunday, June 13, 2021, Evergreen Cemetery will be toured. Call 530-572-1099 to reserve your spot and get more info.

2022 campaign starts

The Siskiyou Co. Republican Central Committee is sponsoring a Meet and Greet with Eric Early, who is running for California Attorney General in the 2022 Election. Early earned a B.F.A degree from New York University in 1981 and a J.D. degree from Southwestern Law School in 1993. His career experience includes working as an attorney and managing partner of Early Sullivan Wright Gizer & McRae LLP.

The Meet and Greet will be held at Mount Shasta Community Center at 621 Alder St. in Mount Shasta City at 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 17, 2021. Doors open at 1:30 p.m. The meeting is free to the public. Also, Siskiyou Co. Kirk Andrus, Mount Shasta Police Chief Robert Gibson and Siskiyou Co. Sheriff Jeremiah LaRue have been invited to attend and speak. Refreshments will be served.

Garden

Two weeks ago, I couldn’t stand it. The rhubarb plant that I harvested looked very bedraggled, so I harvested more stems. It actually made it much happier. A nice circle of new leaves are already up over a foot tall. Of course, it gets soaked every day, especially during last week’s heat wave.

I froze eight bags and then took rhubarb up to Shirley Gilmore, who lives behind Callahan. Over the past several decades, she (with help) has rock-terraced her steep hillside with a variety of perennial flowers and plants. It is beautiful. But, keeping it irrigated is work even with a system of hoses and timers. I can’t believe at 86 years of age that she still hikes the paths up the hillside every day! She also had roses, iris, peonies, poppies, and (I think they were) clematis blooming along with other spring plants. Yep, Shirley has created a gorgeous landscape!

My baby pumpkin, cucumber, zucchini and cantaloupe plants made it through the 100 degree heat last week. The six tomato plants are happy and the zinnias are already starting to bloom in a variety of colors. Whew! So glad it will cool down this week, but hoping it doesn’t frost!

May peace and calm be with you this week. Smile – just cuz it makes you feel better!

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 can be found at: lizwriteslife.blogspot.com. Call her at 530-467-3515.

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Congressman Doug LaMalfa tours Siskiyou County

 Liz Writes Life

Published in Siskiyou Daily News, Yreka, California

June 2, 2021

LaMalfa visits

Our California Dist. 1 Congressman Doug LaMalfa toured Siskiyou County with a little different goal last week. His staff person, Erin Ryan, contacted our Siskiyou Co. Supervisors’ Board Chairman, Ray Haupt, over a month ago asking for a special tour for his staff. This included all staff in his three California offices and in his Washington D.C. office. Ray told me that the congressman wanted his staff to know what they were fighting for. LaMalfa also held tours in the other eight counties that he represents.

So, Ray set out organizing a day of travel, sites to see and issues to discuss. Ray related the highlights of the day to me in an interview, cuz I wanted to share with you – my readers.

Yep, I am a huge supporter of Congressman LaMalfa. I have known Doug since he was campaigning on his first run for California Assembly back in 2001 and have always been impressed with his sincere concern for our county, our events, issues and people. Doug has intervened in our behalf many, many times with state and federal agencies. Ray says that Doug has a Ph.D. in saving the Klamath Dams!

Ray and county staff met Doug and his group down at Castella. They had just driven through the desolate area of the 2018 Delta Fire. Because of Ray’s forestry education and U.S. Forest Service background, he easily explained how the lack of forest management greatly increases the threat of wildfire. Dunsmuir, Mount Shasta City, and other communities in the Sacramento River canyon are certainly at high risk from forest fire. It is extremely worrisome and needs to be remedied.

The next stop was near Lake Siskiyou, where the group was joined by Professional Foresters from Jefferson Resources, who manage the forested land which is owned by Siskiyou County. Daniel Lindler presented the project objectives. Questions were asked and answered. The area has been returned to a natural-like stand and deer winter range restored by opening the meadows again.

Continuing on the forestry issue, the group then traveled to Hawkinsville and Ray explained the Craggy Stewardship Project. This is an unusual fuels project, because it is a partnership between USFS and Cal-Fire. He explained the project is a good example of how to stop the spread of wildfire and recently saved the town of Hawkinsville. The Craggy Project is the first of this kind of partnership between the federal government and California -- in the state.

The next stop was at Collier Rest Stop on I-5 for lunch, where the issues of the Endangered Species Act-listed coho salmon, fish diseases, water issues, threats of wildfire and how important the Klamath dams are to fighting fire were discussed.

“The dams have saved Hornbrook and residents at Copco several times in the last few years,” Ray said. The reservoirs are a must for fire suppression.

Doug’s staff asked questions about the effect that Klamath dam removal would have on the residents with homes on the river and what would the tremendous amount of sediment do to the river’s eco-system and water quality? Yep, really important concerns for sure.

Shasta Vista and road A-12, with the huge amount of illegal greenhouses (no permits) growing criminal cannabis throughout the area, was the last stop. Siskiyou Co. Sheriff Jeremiah LaRue gave a presentation, answered questions and then offered a tour of the illegal operations.

In 2016, Siskiyou Co. Supervisors’ Board approved a Declaration stating Siskiyou is not a commercial-cannabis grow county. State law gave each county the ability to make this decision. Our Siskiyou Supervisors continue to support eradication of criminal activity.

(Unfortunately, too many think they can get away with growing it anyway. My guess is making lots of money is the incentive!)

Recently, Siskiyou County District Attorney Kirk Andrus obtained a court abatement order for nine pieces of property in Shasta Vista. Sheriff LaRue is executing the order. So, a number of bulldozers, excavators, backhoes and dozens of local volunteers were demolishing the illegal greenhouses, abating the cannabis and cleaning-up the environmental disaster, when Ray and the congressman’s group arrived. Impressive!

Ray told me that 384 huge greenhouses were destroyed, along with 82,998 plants and 1,435 pounds of processed marijuana in two days last week.

(You can’t tell me that 1,435 pounds of processed marijuana – in Siskiyou County -- is legal. Nope. With all the controversy and outside media claims of bias, it looks to me like many people have forgotten that only 12 marijuana plants are legal to grow in Siskiyou County and those must be indoors. I have seen aerial photos of hundreds of gigantic greenhouses built in the last three years throughout this area. Doesn’t matter who or what groups are growing cannabis, it reeks of organized crime. That’s my opinion.)

Back to the congressman’s tour – “Doug has been to the county more times than any congressman I know of,” said Ray. “Typically, he comes up several times a year for events and is also here when times are tough, including visiting the Happy Camp Fire several times,” last fall.

When he worked for the USFS, Ray met with congressmen and other elected officials and finished by saying he has “never seen a congressman bring his entire staff to a county.” High praise, indeed!

Those who attend various meetings, in our county, know that Doug’s staff person, Erin Ryan, is here quite often and has a monthly time slot for individuals to meet with her. She is open and available. And, Erin claims that Siskiyou is her “favorite” county. Shuhhh, don’t tell the other counties!

Garden

Got two flowerbeds cleaned-up and one planted with volunteer cosmos. A giant pumpkin seed is up, also two zucchini, eight cucumbers and hopefully at least four cantaloupes! Almost all the soaker hoses were laid out just in time for this yucky heat wave. Whew!

May peace and calm be with you this week. Smile – just cuz it makes you feel better!

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 can be found at: lizwriteslife.blogspot.com. Call her at 530-467-3515.

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