PNP comment: I live a half mile from Sugar Creek. The trees are so thick, you cannot see the small creek water being sucked up by the trees. Beaver have ponds about 100 yards up from Hwy 3. Any mining done  10 miles up on the dry hillside causes absolutely no problems to wildlife and fish. Coho salmon spawn in Sugar Creek. Restoration moneys spent by the USFS to try to “fix” something that is in GREAT shape is a travesty. This Greenie group is based in Ashland and is always spreading FEAR and lies. I’ll take some photos tomorrow an post them to prove it!

Also, more than 4,600 chinook and 10 times the number of coho salmon, that were expected, returned to the Scott River last fall  proving it is a healthy fabulous river. But things are never good enough for eco-Greenies, who do not live here! — Editor Liz Bowen

This is on KS Wild website and is BUNK!

Scott River Salmon need your Help

The Forest Service is proposing to restore the Sugar Creek headwater tributary to the Scott River by stabilizing and rehabilitating some old logging roads and decommissioning others. Let the Forest Service know you support their efforts.

Safe public access to the forest will be improved through road maintenance and old logging roads to nowhere will be put to bed – this is great for water quality and salmon.

Unfortunately some Siskiyou County Tea Party politicians oppose this needed watershed restoration plan and want to turn the project into yet another timber sale. Please let the Forest Service know that you stand with them in their effort to reduce sediment pollution in the Scott River.

The Scott River tributary to the Klamath River has had a tough go of it. For decades water withdrawals, mining, logging, grazing and irresponsible road building have degraded the river’s water quality and salmon habitat. Sediment pollution from crumbling logging roads has been a chronic problem and contributed to the Scott being listed under the Clean Water Act as in need of cleanup.

# # #

PNP comment: Sorry, can’t help myself. I have lived in the Scott River tributary area over 50 years. The above statements are out and out lies. The water in Scott River is pure and almost too clear. The logging roads have been cleaned up. There is NOTHING left to improve. Man and weather are part of Scott Valley. Spending money on RESTORATION that is NOT needed is such a HUGE WASTE !!!!!   Oh and the comment period was closed July 7, 2012.  Or so, we neighboring landowners were told? — Editor Liz Bowen

To Siskiyou Daily News

July 17, 2012

Mr. Bowman & Mr. Dowse,

With respect to your article in the Siskiyou Daily News parroting the Huffington Post & condemning Sheriff John Lopey by your accusations that he is above the law, you show your own ignorance.  I do not subscribe to your paper & have not for several years for such shallow reporting.  But I have been aware before of the ignorance of some citizens who think that they know the law.

Sheriff Lopey & I both took the same oath of office.  It was 56 years ago that I held up my right hand and repeated the words (“I swear”) to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, both foreign and domestic,, and to bear true faith and allegiance to the same, so help me God.  Do you understand those words, “both foreign and domestic”?  Yes, that means enemies, both here and abroad, who would undermine our ideals & distort our freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution.

And even though I retired from the  U. S. Navy 22 years ago after 34 years service, as a Captain, USN (Ret.) (my permanent rank equivalent to Sheriff Lopey’s rank as a Colonel, USAR), I consider that i am still subject to that oath of office, as he is.  And, as a public servant,  I have never, in 56 years, forgotten whom I serve & to whom I answer (the people).

You will notice that the oath is to the Constitution of the United States of America, “the Supreme Law of the Land”, not to the Constitution of the State of California or the County of Siskiyou.  And Sheriff Lopey has likewise again resworn to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America, to be subject to the Constitution, not to be above the law.  And it is his duty to ensure that our rights guaranteed by the Supreme Law of the Land are  protected from encroachment by anyone with ulterior motives, be they private, State or Federal  agents.  And as our senior law enforcement officer in Siskiyou County, that is what he doing.  He is exercising leadership to focus attention together with other North State sheriffs on their duties subject to the Constitution.  And I see it as a refreshing change in attitudes from others.

If you have accused him of being above the law, then you obviously do not understand the law or know what you are saying.  And i suggest that you get it straight before you put it in print.  Now when you have served your Country for over 30 years under that oath of office &  can understand, I may discuss it with you.  Meanwhile, I think that you owe Sheriff Lopey a formal apology.  And let him do his job without your verbal abuses.

Respectfully,

Norman R. Malmberg

Captain, USN (Ret.)

To Siskiyou Daily News

July 17, 2012

Dear Editor:

We are writing in response to the article written by John Bowman on Sheriff Lopey in the Monday, July 16, SDN. The irony in the attacks against Sheriff Lopey by the Huffington Post and other far-left media is that he is the one who has stood up to the incredible overstep by STATE and federal agencies, agencies that have increased their vitriolic and bitter assault on rural businesses in the last 4 years.

He is the one putting his career and reputation on the line to speak up for average people. How more right can that be?

Right now rural California is under attack by a number of agencies who, having taken on the mantle of Big Brother, see themselves as a power unto themselves. They are not elected officials, but appointed

– people who have no invested interest in agriculture, timber, mining, or any other industry, but who can almost willy-nilly make decisions and implement “administrative laws” that affect them. These industries have historically been the ones that support all other “life” in rural counties. But the government has become so powerful that these agents can verbally and emotionally abuse individuals through the “weight” of their offices, demanding multiple permits at incredible cost, then deny them access to such permits or insert so many levels of red tape and bureaucracy that no one can move without bowing to their power over an dover. Check out the bible of regulations coming down in the next few years by Cal Trans, Fish and Wildlife, Dept. of Agriculture, and many other agencies, which are turning their focus to “environmental justice” and “progressivism” — words that carry incredible Power, concepts that will bend small producers, entrepreneurs and growers as well as large ones.

These self-important agencies can always justify their abuse on the grounds of “protecting the public interest.” What they are really trying to protect is their jobs. Moreover, they are so fearful of attack by the far left — which wields lawsuits (paid for through grant money awarded them by the government, by the way) and threats by special interest groups with plenty of clout and money — that they don’t speak the truth. Instead they push the average person around with their badges, their “power” and their layers of verbiage and insulation, protected by the separate, almost hidden, law enforcement arms of their agencies. Check out the national abuses by NOAA and what that “agency” has done to the entire fishing industry (particularly small fishermen) on the East coast. Even Barney Frank, for Pete’s sake, called for an investigation into their power-grabbing, fine- levying abuses, which equal the notorious GSA debacle this year. In truth, it shouldn’t matter on which side of the political aisle you sit, you should be aware of this insidious move to assert more and more control over the individual. It’s alarming. Our world has indeed become Orwellian — and the practiced, deliberate use of doublespeak by these agencies should give EVERYONE reason to pause.

Would that the average consumer/citizen dig beneath the surface and recognize where the push for more and more government intervention comes from; it is not out of care and concern for the environment, because we all care about the environment and significant changes have occurred in the last three decades. Ranchers, Loggers, and miners today are not stuck in the same mind set that existed 40 or 50 years ago (but that’s a myth the far left groups love to perpetuate)! In truth, the “environment” is merely the shield these agencies and special interest groups now use to hide behind. Their real goal is to take command of much, much more than meets the eye. Check out EPA and NMFS and even Fish & Game and see what new rules are coming down the pike….plus how many more people have been added to their payrolls to “insure” that these convoluted rules and regulations are met. What are these people PRODUCING? Paper? More bureaucracy? More red tape via permits, fines, fees, regulations? Regulations that require a Philadelphia lawyer to interpret?

Sheriff Lopey is the elected official of our county and has every right to investigate and protect the people of his county. What needs to happen is that locals need to take the time to check out what power these agents have assumed in this and other rural counties. And remember, when they retire and walk away from their jobs, with their pensions and entitlements in place, what they leave in the wake of their careers is the people still scrambling to eek out a living. I hope everyone who sees what Sheriff Lopey has done to protect us would speak up on his behalf. It’s time those who are too busy making a living and working hard to get by take time to thank him. He is a gift to Siskiyou County and he cares more about individuals than he does about inflating his career. Not so those agents itching to move up the government ladder of “success”.

Sadly, because the far left has the ear of the majority of media outlets, it’s hard for the average person to see the forest for the trees.

Doug and Gail Jenner

Etna, CA

Publisher of Siskiyou Daily News,

Date : 24 July 2012

As of the above date cancel my subscription to the Siskiyou Daily News.

 You have lost my respect.  About the only thing in the paper generated locally, is the Obituaries  that is without spin or influence from The Riverkeepers or some other radical left wing organization. I have attended various meeting through out the County  where John Bowman later wrote a article in the SDN.

 I think one of us was at a different meeting.

You are the only county news paper we have.  Your job is to report what is going on.  Sometimes you do a good job and I appreciate that.  The point I’m making is that when you take a Blog  — of one radical reporter — and use his words to discredit our Sheriff and then call our Sheriff an out-law , you”re way over the line !

What you need to do is READ THE CONSTITUTION, both the State and the Federal ,  You will find that the people who are wanting to destroy Siskiyou County, take our property and our way of life, are the ones who are putting themselves above the law!

Get rid of Bowman! He is a Riverkeeper’s riverkeeper . Always has been and always will be!  This is a free country, and as of now, we can still chose what we do and support who or what we want to .

When you use a public news source to expand your own agenda, you are not being honest with your readers!

Sincerely,

Tom Pease

14424 Quartz Valley Dr.

Fort Jones, Ca 96032

PS  If the paper box on my mail box post is yours , please remove by 27 July 2012 . After that date it goes into the garbage.

• By Damon Arthur

• Posted July 17, 2012 at 7:28 p.m.

• Redding.com

A state water agency voted Tuesday to give PacifiCorp officials another year to work with Klamath River water users on an agreement to remove four dams on the river.

The decision did not please the more than 100 people who traveled from Hoopa to Sacramento to rally in favor of removing the dams now.

“The effect is, the Klamath River is not going to get any cleaner,” said Regina Chichizola, a spokeswoman for the Hoopa Valley Tribe.

The dams produce toxic algae which makes the river water unsafe for humans and toxic to salmon that are part of the tribe’s culture, Chichizola said.

More than 100 members of the tribe, as well as other supporters of removing the dams rallied in front of the California Environmental Protection Agency building before the state Water Resources Control Board Meeting on Tuesday.

PacificCorp is going through a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission relicensing of four dams along the Klamath River, which includes getting a Clean Water Act Permit from the water board, said George Kostyrko, a spokesman for the agency.

But PacifiCorp already has agreed to remove the dams in order to improve water quality in the river.

Read more:

http://www.redding.com/news/2012/jul/17/water-board-delays-klamath-dams-clean-water-permit/

PNP comment: Scientists also explain there is a cycle of warm/cold water and food availability that affects salmon. Typically, when Alaska is brimming with salmon, we in the lower 48 region are not. And when our California, Oregon and Washington rivers find significant salmon runs, Alaska’s salmon returning populations are down.  Such is the scenario for this season. Alaska is not expecting a bumper crop, but we are. — Editor Liz Bowen

From California Farm Water Coalition’s Newsletter

Smashing salmon season expected, starting today

Q&A
By Matt Weiser
From Sacramento Bee – Monday, July 16, 2012

Is there any debate still about what caused the population decline?

Among federal and state fishery managers, there’s a consensus that it was ocean conditions – very poor ocean conditions – that did not produce enough food for adult salmon. Looking back at the water-year types, yes, there were some dry periods for outflow and temperature issues in the river systems. But I think it’s been primarily linked to ocean conditions.

California Farm Water Coalition response … Salmon go through natural increases and decreases in population regularly. A look at the Sacramento River fall Chinook Index reveals that salmon populations peaked in 1988, 1995 and again in 2002 with corresponding decreases during the intervening years. The recent salmon population increase was not unexpected because it follows the same 7-8 year trend we have seen before.

State/federal fishery managers increasingly agree on the importance of ocean conditions and the impact on salmon numbers. Individuals and organizations who continue to beat the worn-out drum that Delta pumps are at fault are being overshadowed by scientific reports that state otherwise.

Written by By Bill Rautenstrauch

The Observer

July 16, 2012 01:52 pm

U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., made a stop  in La Grande Friday, meeting with citizens at a local restaurant and talking about his efforts to put more control of federal forests into local hands.

U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., made a stop  in La Grande Friday, meeting with citizens at a local restaurant and talking about his efforts to put more control of federal forests into local hands.

In a small business roundtable discussion, Walden (R-Hood River) talked about the Healthy Forest Management Act, legislation he is co-sponsoring that would increase state control over forest management in high fire risk areas to better protect and improve forest health.

The bill would allow states, in consultation with counties, to designate areas of high risk and develop emergency hazardous fuel reduction projects, including active timber management.

“We’re concentrating our efforts on forest management. The bill is passed out of the resource committee and it would require the Forest Service to more actively manage in trust with the state,” he said. “If we could get this into law, it would have a dramatic effect on communities and the economy.”

Walden said there is a need to manage forests in a way that reduces fuel loads while creating jobs. He said that currently, the federal government owns 60 percent of the forests in Oregon, but only provides 12 percent of the total harvest. He said the state appears to be doing a better job, with less.

“The state owns four percent of the forestland but is harvesting almost as much,” he said. “The bean counters can’t get their hands around the fact that the federal government is the only holder of timber that loses money,” he said.

Walden also spent some time talking about the need to reduce government regulations on businesses. He said he supports the REINS Act, a bill that would require congressional review of rules that would have an impact on the economy of $100 million or more.

“It would stop the rule writers from writing rules that put a stop on our economy,” he said.

Walden said he knows there must be regulations insuring clean water and air, but some rules are unreasonable and too burdensome on business owners. He cited unachievable rules that threaten a cement plant in Baker County, and others that could costs jobs at paper and pulp plants in Oregon.

He said that in recent times, more than 3,100 rules affecting business came out of the federal government. The proliferation causes hesitancy on the part of business people to invest in new projects.

“It creates an incredible amount of uncertainty in the markets. We’re saying, we need to use American resources, in a responsible way,” Walden said.

During a question and answer session following his opening remarks, Walden addressed issues including the death tax, the tax code, wildland fire attack aircraft, and more.

At one point, he touched on the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Travel Plan that was withdrawn this spring in the face of public protest. He said he hopes the Forest Service takes local viewpoints to heart as the plan is re-written.

“The Forest Service pulled back, and that’s to their credit,” he said. “They need to start over and have an open process where people have the confidence they’re being heard.”

He had some criticism for the process the Forest Service used in crafting the original plan.

“I can’t think of a time when the Forest Service strayed so far from what the public wants and needs,” he said.

http://www.lagrandeobserver.com/News/Local-News/Walden-trying-to-break-timber-gridlock

Redding, Calif. – In order to justify the frivolous spending in Sacramento, Governor Jerry Brown qualified Proposition 30 for the November 2012 General Election.  Redding Councilman Rick Bosetti has joined the “California for Reform and Jobs, Not Taxes” coalition to oppose the 50 billion dollar tax increase.

“The North State needs to stand up against this blank check that enables the liberals in the legislature to continue to overspend without restraints,” commented Councilmember Bosetti.  “We cannot give Sacramento a blank check, we cannot give them our jobs and we cannot give them our vote.”

Negative highlights of Proposition 30:

• Raises sales and income taxes on all Californians as much as 50 billion dollars over the next seven years

• Destroys small businesses and kills jobs

• Doesn’t provide ANY new funding for schools

• Includes NO reform

Councilmember Bosetti has also sent our requests to many North State local leaders and small businesses to join the measure.

To join the coalition against Proposition 30 please visit www.RickBosetti.com.

In his campaign for Assembly, Councilmember Bosetti has taken a position against new taxes and has received support from California’s two largest anti-tax groups, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and the National Taxpayers Protection Committee.

Klamath science-informed process needs improvement, by Dr. Paul R. Houser, Guest writer, Herald and News 7/15/12. Klamath Dam whistleblower Houser responds to USGS KBRA lead scientist Dennis Lynch: “In April 2011, I was hired as the Bureau of Reclamation’s science adviser and scientific integrity officer. After I questioned the accuracy of science reporting and summary documents related to the Klamath Secretarial Decision, I faced systematic reprisal and my job as the Bureau of Reclamation’s science advisor was terminated….”

Blazing Fires Show Importance of Effective Forest Management, Congressman Wally Herger 7/16/12. “The Forest Service is spending over a billion dollars each year fighting fires. In an era of trillion dollar federal deficits, scarce taxpayer dollars could be better used if we addressed the unhealthy conditions in our national forests to help prevent catastrophic fires in the first place.”

www.klamathbasincrisis.org

From North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board

Comment points from the Scott River Watershed Council Coordinator –

Hello all,

Below  is the latest information on the Scott River TMDL waiver.

-The draft waiver retains much of the approach of the existing waiver.

-The draft waiver does not require enrollment as a term of coverage.

-Landowners who are making efforts to implement the TMDL and participate in on-going collaborative programs that further the goals of the TMDL are covered (i.e., Waste Discharge Requirements are waived).

-The draft waiver provides explicit guidance on measures that implement the TMDL.  These measures are guidance, not requirements.

-The draft waiver incorporates the language from the TMDL Action Plan regarding submittal of Grazing and Riparian Management Plans or Erosion Control Plans, upon the request of the Regional Water Board.

-The draft waiver specifies that the requirement for submittal of plans will be  on an as-needed, site-specific basis, based on risk to water quality.

-Regional Water Board staff will hold a workshop to present the draft waiver and receive comments  on August 2^nd, 9:30 am, at the Fort Jones Community Center.

-Public comments on the draft waiver will be accepted through August 13.

-The waiver is scheduled for consideration for adoption at the October 4, 2012 Regional Water Board meeting.  The location has not been finalized.

Danielle Yokel

Danielle Yokel

SRWC Coordinator

530-467-5511

530-643-2368 (cell)

coordsrwc@sisqtel.net

www.scottriver.org

To read it go to and ask for a copy:

lyris@swrcb18.waterboards.ca.gov