Grange Leader David Lewis on Klamath River issues

KlamBlog has received a response to our request for more information on the Grange and the organization's position on the proposed Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA). The following is from David Lewis of Bodega Bay. David is president of the Bodega Bay Grange and chairman of the California State Grange Water Committee. Here’s what David sent to supplement our last post:

THE GRANGE STARTED AS A PROGRESSIVE AND ACTIVIST ORGANIZATION WITH THE INTENT TO INFLUENCE NATIONAL AND STATE POLICIES THROUGH LEGISLATION. TO THAT END, THE GRANGE STILL MAINTAINS AN ACTIVE LEGISLATIVE STRUCTURE. THE NATIONAL GRANGE OFFICE BUILDING IS JUST TEN BLOCKS FROM THE WHITEHOUSE, HAS A LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR AND A DOZEN LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES STAFFED BY NON-SALARIED MEMBERS AROUND THE COUNTRY.

THE GRANGE TAKES SOME CREDIT FOR THE REA (RURAL ELECTRIFICATION ACT) AND THE RFD (RURAL FREE – POSTAL –DELIVERY) AMONG OTHER SIGNIFICANT 1930'S IMPROVEMENTS TO RURAL LIFE AND FAMILY FARMERS. AS YOU SUGGEST, THE GRANGE HAS LOST SOME WEIGHT SINCE THOSE DAYS.

THE CALIFORNIA STATE GRANGE (CSG) IS HEADQUARTERED IN SACRAMENTO AND IS SIMILARLY ORGANIZED. I AM RESPONDING TO YOUR POST AS CHAIRMAN OF THE CSG WATER COMMITTEE.

THERE ARE MORE THAN A HUNDRED ACTIVE COMMUNITY GRANGES IN CALIFORNIA. THESE GRANGES SEND DELEGATES TO A STATE CONVENTION EACH FALL WHERE THE DELEGATE BODY VOTES ON RESOLUTIONS FROM AROUND THE STATE. IF ADOPTED, THESE RESOLUTIONS BECOME CSG POLICY AND SUBJECTS OF LEGISLATIVE ACTION. A FEW OF THE CSG RESOLUTIONS ARE TAKEN TO THE ANNUAL NATIONAL GRANGE CONVENTION. OUR KLAMATH RIVER BASIN RESTORATION RESOLUTION WHICH YOU HAVE POSTED IN ITS ENTIRETY HAS FOLLOWED SUCH A COURSE AND IS NOW BEING PRESENTED TO LEGISLATORS FOR ACTION.

THE CSG IS MADE UP OF FAMILY FARMERS IN RURAL COMMUNITIES AROUND THE STATE, EXCEPT FOR A HANDFUL OF NORTH COASTAL AREA GRANGES WHICH ARE CONSIDERED TO REPRESENT FARMERS OF THE SEA. COMMUNITIES SUCH AS BODEGA BAY (WHERE I LIVE), FORT BRAGG, EUREKA AND CRESCENT CITY HAVE GRANGES WHOSE MEMBERS ARE COMMERCIAL OCEAN FISHERMEN. TROLL- CAUGHT WILD SALMON IS THE MAJOR PRODUCT OF THESE FISHING COMMUNITIES. MOST OF THE SALMON HARVESTED BY THESE FOLKS ARE, OR WERE, SPAWNED IN THE KLAMATH RIVER.

AS YOU INDICATED, THE CSG OF THE 1990'S BECAME ANTI-ENVIRONMENTALIST PROPERTY- RIGHTS ADVOCATES. THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT (ESA) BECAME ANATHEMA TO SOME FARMERS AND LAND OWNERS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. I DON'T THINK THERE WAS EVER A RESOLUTION TO OPEN A HUNTING SEASON FOR SPOTTED OWLS JUST TO PROVE THERE WERE PLENTY OF THEM. THERE WERE, HOWEVER, RESOLUTIONS AND LAWSUITS FOUND IN GRANGE POLICIES TO UNDO THE ESA AND TO HAVE COHO SALMON DELISTED AS ENDANGERED IN THE WATERS OF THE KLAMATH RIVER. AFTER 2000, FISHING GRANGES PERCEIVED UNFAIRNESS IN THE USE OF THEIR DUES MONIES TO PROMOTE POLICIES AGAINST THE PROTECTION OF SALMON FISHERIES.

MOST RECENTLY, THE PROPOSALS TO REMOVE FOUR POWER DAMS FROM THE KLAMATH RIVER HAVE GENERATED A SHARP DIVISION BETWEEN LAND FARMERS AND SEA FARMERS IN THE CALIFORNIA GRANGES. ALL ELEVEN SISKIYOU COUNTY GRANGES ADVOCATE KEEPING THE DAMS WHILE GRANGES IN DEL NORTE, HUMBOLDT, MENDOCINO AND SONOMA COUNTIES SUPPORT REMOVING THE DAMS.

THE DAMS ARE NOT THE ONLY ISSUES RELATED TO THE HEALTH OF THE KLAMATH RIVER. OTHERS INCLUDE HABITAT DEGRADATION, FLOW MANAGEMENT, WATER RIGHTS AND WATER QUALITY. THESE ARE THE ISSUES OUR RESTORATION RESOLUTION WANTS TO SEE ADDRESSED. BUT, YOU SAY, "WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE KBRA?"

SISKIYOU COUNTY GRANGERS AGREE WITH THE REST OF US THAT KBRA IS DEFECTIVE WHEN IT DECLARES THAT IT REPRESENTS ALL REAL STAKEHOLDERS AND IN ITS INCOMPLETE DISCUSSION OF WATER FLOW ALLOCATIONS AND MANAGEMENT. THEY ALSO DON'T LIKE IT BECAUSE IT EMBRACES THE DAM REMOVAL. THE KBRA ALSO FAILS TO DEAL WITH HABITAT IMPROVEMENT AND WATER QUALITY ISSUES. THE GRANGE BELIEVES THAT THESE ARE ALL IMPORTANT ISSUES TO ADDRESS.

YOU ARE CORRECT TO SAY THAT THE GRANGE AND ITS LEADERSHIP HAVE CHANGED. AT THE CONVENTION WHICH ADOPTED OUR RESOLUTION, THE NEW "PROGRESSIVE GREEN" MEMBERSHIP ELECTED A MAJORITY OF NEW LEADERS. YES, GREEN IS MORE THAN JUST A COLOR IN TODAY'S GRANGE. MEMBER GRANGES ARE MADE UP OF ORGANIC FARMERS WHO THINK IN TERMS OF FARMERS MARKETS (WITH FRESH FISH) AS WELL AS TRADITIONAL CROP-ORIENTED FARMERS. EVERYONE AGREES THAT WATER IS THE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT FOR FISHERIES AND FARMERS.


In his message transmitting the statement above David Lewis added this:

ONE OTHER THING YOU MAY INSERT INTO MY LIST OF GRANGE DISLIKES OF THE KBRA IS THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN THE KSG PROCESSES.

KlamBlog is in full agreement: Secrecy breeds mischief and there is plenty of that in what the KSG – the Klamath Settlement Group – has produced.

Readers who desire more information on the Grange or who have questions can contact David Lewis at:
PO Box 1241
Bodega Bay CA 94923
Ph.707-875-3695
davidcl@comcast.net