Posts Tagged ‘ klamath hydroelectric agreement ’

Rethinking Klamath River Dam Removal

April 28, 2010
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The Copco 1 Dam on the Klamath River. Photo courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife.

When government and tribal leaders gathered in Salem earlier this year to sign the Klamath basin agreements, the talk was all about dam removal. ”Hasta la vista to the dams,” said California’s Governor Schwarzenegger.

But what Schwarzenegger, Governor Kulongoski and the others glossed over is that there is no agreement to remove dams on the Klamath River. There’s only an agreement to study the issue. A decision is a couple of years away.

And now we’re seeing what could be the first attempt to take advantage of that loophole.

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VIDEO: Klamath Hangover – Why Oregon Enviros Oppose The Deals

February 19, 2010
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During Thursday’s Klamath Basin signing ceremony, one group was conspicuously absent, Oregon’s environmental community.

Groups such as Oregon Wild and Water Watch, say they were kicked out of the talks that produced the two historic deals on Klamath Basin water sharing and dam removal. National groups such as American Rivers and Trout Unlimited did sign on.

Earlier this week, we talked with Sean Stevens of Oregon Wild about his group’s objections. He calls this a billion dollar boondoggle that doesn’t do enough to protect Klamath Basin salmon.

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VIDEO: Highlights From Klamath Basin Signing Ceremony

February 18, 2010
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If you have trouble viewing this video, click here. Otherwise click on the Read More button to see the video.

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“Hasta La Vista” Dams: Deals Signed To End Klamath Basin Water Wars

February 18, 2010
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Judging by the love fest inside the Capitol Rotunda this morning, it’s hard to imagine that the Klamath water wars ever existed.

The room was filled with smiles, applause and some humor courtesy of Governor Schwarzenegger.

Schwarzenegger joked it was finally time to say, “Hasta la vista to the dams.” The crowd ate it up.

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Events This Week, Thursday Edition

February 17, 2010
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Interesting or newsworthy events from today until Sunday.

THURSDAY:

Klamath Basin Agreements

Decades of fighting over water, salmon and dams in the Klamath Basin could come to a close Thursday in Salem. Governor Kulongoski, Governor Schwarzenegger and Interior Secretary Salazar will take part in a ceremony to sign two agreements that are designed to make sure there’s enough water for farming and salmon, while laying out a plan to remove four dams from the Klamath River,

Despite the historic nature of the agreements, they’re unpopular with Oregon’s environmental community. Oregon Wild says the deals don’t do enough to protect salmon, and allow farming on two wildlife refuges.

The ceremony is Thursday morning in the Rotunda of the Capitol in Salem.

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A New Way Forward On Removing Klamath River Dams

December 15, 2009
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The Copco 1 Dam on the Klamath River. Photo courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife.

The Copco 1 Dam on the Klamath River. Photo courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife.

Several environmental groups are coming together with a new proposal for removing four hydroelectric dams from the Klamath River in Oregon and California.

It’s response to an earlier agreement announced in September by the Interior Department. While that agreement laid the foundation for dam removal, many environmental groups were not satisfied with it.

Today’s proposal is designed to move things along much, much faster.

The new coalition is calling itself the Klamath Conservation Partners, and here’s what it’s proposing.

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