KlamBlog has learned that the Department of Interior is not drafting legislation to “confirm, ratify or approve” the Klamath Dam and Water Deals. Instead, Representative Mike Thompson of California and Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon are taking the lead in the drafting. It is unknown whether they will adhere to all provisions in the proposed deals or will make changes to better conform the deals to the Public Interest.
What deal promoters want in federal legislation is laid out clearly in Appendix E of the final KBRA. That appendix is reprinted at the end of this post.
Those who care about the Klamath River – and those who are concerned about the damaging precedents the Klamath Deals could set for future dam removals and river restoration programs - may want to let Congressman Thompson and Senator Merkley know what they think about the Klamath Deals. Here is contact information for both members:
Congressman Mike Thomson Senator Jeff Merkley
Jonathan Birdsong, Legislative Director 107 Russell Senate Office Building
231 Cannon House Office Building, District of Columbia 20510-3704
District of Columbia 20515-0501 Phone: (202) 224-3753
Phone: (202) 225-3311 Fax: (202) 228-3997
Fax: (202) 225-4335 Portland Office: (503) 326-3386
jonathan.birdsong@mail.house.gov Michael.Zamore@mail.senate.gov
Eureka Office:
Phone: (707) 269-9595
An easy way to send e-mail to any member of Congress can be found at Congress dot Org.
KlamBlog suggests asking these servants of the people to hold public hearings here in the Klamath River Basin and not just in Washington DC. Public hearings on Klamath legislation here in the Basin will make it possible for all those who were excluded from confidential invitation-only deal negotiations to share their ideas for Klamath solutions with those who represent us in Congress. Public hearings here would also demonstrate that these two members of Congress are not just going to carry water for the special interests and agencies which made these deals and which favor some irrigators over others, some tribes over others and some communities over others.
Here is KHSA Appendix E:
KHSA
APPENDIX E
Elements for the Proposed Federal Legislation
Elements Related to the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement
A. Confirm, ratify or approve as necessary to ensure the effectiveness of the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA), including any amendments approved by the Parties prior to enactment. Authorize and direct the Secretary of the Interior, Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of Agriculture or their designees to execute and implement the KBRA.
B. Confirm that execution of the KBRA by the Secretary of the Interior, Secretary of Commerce, and the Secretary of Agriculture or their designees is not a major federal action for purposes of the National Environmental Policy Act, 42 U.S.C. § 4321, and direct all Federal Agency Parties to comply with all applicable environmental laws in consideration and approval of actions in implementation of the KBRA following its execution.
C. Authorize Federal Agency Parties to enter into contracts, cooperative agreements, and other agreements in implementation of the KBRA; and authorize the acceptance and expenditure of non-federal funds or in-kind services for KBRA implementation.
D. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, enactment of the KBRA title of this legislation and implementation of KBRA will not restrict the Tribes’ or other Parties’ eligibility for or receipt of funds, or be construed as an offset against any obligations or existing funds, under any federal or state laws.
E. Establish in the Treasury the type and number of funds necessary for the deposit of appropriations and other monies, including donated funds, for implementation of the KBRA. Management of funds shall be in accordance with the KBRA. Monies donated by non-federal entities for specific purposes to implement the
KBRA shall be expended for those purposes only and shall not be subject to appropriation.
F. Authorize appropriation of such sums as are necessary to carry out the programs, projects, and plans of the KBRA. Costs associated with any actions taken pursuant to this Agreement shall be non-reimbursable to Reclamation Project contractors.
G. Provide that the purposes of the Klamath Reclamation Project include irrigation, reclamation, domestic, flood control, municipal, industrial, power (as necessary to implement the KBRA), National Wildlife Refuge, and fish and wildlife. Nothing in the project purposes section of the legislation shall be deemed to create a water right or affect existing water rights or water right claims. The fish and wildlife and National Wildlife Refuge purposes of the Klamath Reclamation Project shall not adversely affect the irrigation purpose of the Project, provided that the provisions regarding water allocations and delivery to the National Wildlife Refuges agreed upon in Section 15.1.2, including any additional water made available under Sections 15.1.2.E.ii and 18.3.2.B.v, of the Klamath River Basin Restoration Agreement are hereby deemed not to constitute an adverse effect upon the Klamath Reclamation Project’s irrigation purpose. For purposes of the determination of water rights in the KBA, the purpose or purposes of the Klamath Reclamation Project shall be as existed prior to the enactment of this legislation; this provision shall be inapplicable upon the filing of Appendix E-1 to the KBRA.
H. Provide that: notwithstanding any other provision of law, the disposition of net revenues from the leasing of refuge lands within the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, under section 4 of Public Law 88-567, 78 Stat. 850 (Sept. 2, 1964) (Kuchel Act) shall hereafter be:
1. Ten percent of said net revenues to Tule Lake Irrigation District, as provided in article 4 of Contract No. 14-06-200-5954 and section 2(a) of the Act of August 1, 1956;
2. Payment to Counties in lieu of taxes as provided in section 3 of Public Law 88-567;
3. Twenty percent of said net revenues directly, without further authorization, to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Klamath Basin Refuges, for wildlife management purposes on the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge;
4. Ten percent of said net revenues directly, without further authorization to Klamath Drainage District for operation and maintenance responsibility for the Reclamation water delivery and drainage facilities within the
boundaries of both Klamath Drainage District and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge exclusive of the Klamath Straits Drain, subject to Klamath Drainage District’s assuming the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s Operation and Maintenance duties for Klamath Drainage District (Area K) lease lands; and
5. The remainder shall be covered to the Reclamation fund to be applied as follows:
(a) to operation and maintenance costs of Link River and Keno Dams; and
(b) in any year where the remainder exceeds the actual costs in (a), for the Renewable Power Program in Section 17.7 of the KBRA or future capital costs of the Klamath Reclamation Project, pursuant to an
expenditure plan submitted to and approved by the Secretary.
I. As applicable for the United States and the signatory Tribes:
1. Confirm the commitments made in the KBRA, including the Assurances in Section 15.3 of the KBRA, and that such commitments are effective and binding according to their terms.
2. Authorize the Tribes to issue the voluntary relinquishment and release of claims against the United States as provided in Section 15.3 of the KBRA.
3. Establish terms limiting the effect of the commitments of the United States and Tribes to only those provided in the KBRA.
4. Authorize and direct the Secretary to publish the notice identified in KBRA Sections 15.3.4.A or 15.3.4.C as applicable.
J. Provide for judicial review of a decision by the Secretary affecting rights or obligations created in Sections 15.3.5.C, 15.3.6.B.iii, 15.3.7.B.iii, 15.3.8.B, and 15.3.9 under the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. §§ 701-706.
K. Authorize the United States and the Klamath Tribes to enter into agreements consistent with Section 16.2 of the KBRA.
L. Provide that nothing in the KBRA title of the legislation shall: determine existing water rights, affect existing water rights beyond what is stated in the KBRA, create any private cause of action, expand the jurisdiction of state courts to review federal agency actions or determine federal rights, provide any benefit to a federal official or member of Congress, amend or affect application or implementation of the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, Federal Land Management Policy Act, Kuchel Act (Public Law 88-567), National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-57), or supersede otherwise applicable federal law, except as expressly provided in the federal legislation.
M. The KBRA title of the legislation shall provide that the provisions of the KBRA are deemed consistent with 43 U.S.C. § 666.
N. Require that if the KBRA terminates, any federal funds provided to Parties that are unexpended must be returned to the United States, and any federal funds expended for the benefit of a Party shall be treated as an offset against any claim for damages by such Party arising from the Agreement.
Elements Related to the Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement
A. Authorize and direct the Secretary of the Interior (Secretary), Secretary of Commerce, and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to implement the Klamath Hydroelectric Settlement Agreement (KHSA).
B. Authorize and direct the Secretary to make the determination by March 31, 2012 as set forth in Section 3 of the KHSA: whether facilities removal will advance restoration of the salmonid fisheries of the Klamath Basin and is in the public interest, which includes but is not limited to consideration of potential impacts on affected local communities and Tribes.
C. Prohibit the Secretary from making the determination set forth in Section 3 of the KHSA if the conditions specified in Section 3.3.4 of the KHSA have not been satisfied.
D. Authorize and direct the Secretary, if the Secretarial determination provides for facilities removal, to designate as part of that determination a dam removal entity (DRE) with the capabilities and responsibilities set forth in Section 7 of the KHSA; the Secretary may designate either the Department of the Interior or a
non-federal entity as the DRE, consistent with the requirements of Section 3.3.4.E of the KHSA.
E. Direct the Secretary to publish notification of the Secretarial Determination in the Federal Register.
F. Provide jurisdiction for judicial review of the Secretarial determination in the U.S.Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit or the D.C. Circuit.
G. Authorize the DRE: to accept, expend and manage non-federal funds for facilities removal; to enter into appropriate agreements with the States of California and Oregon, Tribes, other public agencies, or others to assist in implementation of the KHSA; to develop a definite plan for facilities removal; to accept from PacifiCorp all rights, title, and other interests in the facilities upon providing notice that it is ready to commence with facilities removal; and to perform such removal, all as provided in Sections 4 and 7 of the KHSA.
H. Authorize and direct the DRE to seek and obtain necessary permits, certifications, and other authorizations to implement facilities removal, including but not limited to a permit under 33 U.S.C. § 1344.
I. Provide that Facilities Removal shall be subject to applicable requirements of State and local laws respecting permits, certifications and other authorizations, to the extent such requirements are consistent with the Secretarial determination and the Definite Plan, including the schedules for Facilities Removal.
J. Direct the Department of the Interior or the Non-Federal DRE to enter into a contract with PacifiCorp that provides that: upon transfer of title to the facilities, and until notified by the DRE to cease generation of electric power, PacifiCorp shall continue such generation, retain title to any and all power so generated by
the facilities, and continue to use the output for the benefit of its retail customers under the jurisdiction of relevant state public utility commissions.
K. Authorize and direct the Secretary of the Interior, upon notice that the DRE is ready to perform removal of the J.C. Boyle development, to accept transfer of the Keno Dam from PacifiCorp, to be managed as a part of the Klamath Reclamation Project, as provided in Section 3.3.4.B and Section 7.5 of the KHSA.
L. Provide PacifiCorp with protection from liability as follows: “Notwithstanding any other federal, state, local law or common law, PacifiCorp shall not be liable for any harm to persons, property, or the environment, or damages resulting from either Facilities Removal or Facility operation arising from, relating to, or triggered by actions associated with Facilities removal, including but not limited to any damage caused by the release of any material or substance, including but not limited to hazardous substances.”
M. Further provide: ”Notwithstanding any other federal, state, local law or common law, no person or entity contributing funds for facilities removal pursuant to the KHSA shall be held liable, solely by virtue of that funding, for any harm to persons, property, or the environment, or damages arising from either facilities
removal or facility operation arising from, relating to, or triggered by actions associated with facilities removal, including any damage caused by the release of any material or substance, including hazardous substances.”
N. Further provide that: “Notwithstanding Section 10(c) of the Federal Power Act, this protection from liability preempts the laws of any State to the extent such laws are inconsistent with this Act, except that this Act shall not be construed to limit any otherwise available immunity, privilege, or defense under any other
provision of law.”
O. Further provide that the liability protections in Paragraphs L through N, above, shall take effect as they relate to any particular facility only upon transfer of title to that facility from PacifiCorp to the DRE.
P. Direct FERC to issue annual licenses authorizing PacifiCorp to continue to operate Project No. 2082 until PacifiCorp transfers title to the DRE, and provide that FERC’s jurisdiction under the Federal Power Act shall terminate with respect to a given facility upon PacifiCorp’s transfer of title for such facility to the DRE;
if the facilities are removed in a staged manner, annual FERC license conditions applying to the facility being removed shall no longer be in effect, and PacifiCorp shall continue to comply with license conditions pertaining to any facility still in place to the extent such compliance is not prevented by the removal of any other facility.
Q. Direct FERC to stay its proceeding on PacifiCorp’s pending license application for Project No. 2082 as long as the KHSA remains in effect, and resume such proceeding, and take final action on the license application, only if the KHSA terminates; except that FERC will resume timely consideration of the pending
FERC license application for the Fall Creek development within 60 days of the transfer of the Iron Gate Facility to the DRE.
R. Provide that if the KHSA terminates, the Secretarial Determination and findings of fact shall not be admissible or otherwise relied upon in FERC’s proceedings on the license application.
S. Provide that on PacifiCorp’s filing of an application for surrender of the Eastside and Westside developments of Project No. 2082 pursuant to Section 6.4.1 of the KHSA, FERC shall issue an appropriate order regarding partial surrender of the license specific to the Eastside and Westside developments, including any reasonable and appropriate conditions.
T. Provide that nothing in the KHSA title of the legislation shall: modify existing water rights; affect the rights of any Tribe; or supersede otherwise applicable federal law, except as expressly provided in the legislation.
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