Cheney did not manipulate science to kill fish in 2002 on the Klamath, by KBC 7/31/07. Today we listened to some of the 'Cheney-killed-Klamath River fish-in-2002' Congressional hearing in D.C. instigated by Democrats against the Vice President. Mary Kendall, Deputy Inspector General,  Department of the Interior, said regarding Senator Kerry's request in 2003 for fish die-off investigation, the IGO found no political influence or pressure in their '03 investigation, and she stands by their 2004 letter to Kerry. She said there has been no information submitted to the IGO that would change her mind from the '04 letter denying any political influence.
   Dr. William M. Lewis, former chairman of the Committee on Endangered and Threatened Fishes in the Klamath River Basin (National Research Council National Academy of Sciences), and professor of environmental science, said in 2001 the Bureau of Reclamation questioned the validity of shutting off all the irrigation water to the Klamath Project and requested the NAS peer review the science. Contrary to the democrats' accusations, Lewis said the NAS deals with "science and technology, not policy and politics." He said the committee is comprised of scientists screened for their objectivity, the committee must all agree on the final report, and it must pass scrutiny of several peer reviewers and overseers. There was no political influence. The committee found that agencies did not take actions on the rest of the Klamath River, but focused totally on the Klamath Project. He said there is no scientific basis for operation of the River based on minimum flows, and said the agencies made their own plan regardless of the NAS findings; the agencies acquired 100,000 AF water and did more conservation contrary to what earlier data called for. "Agencies are not required to take our advice; they took some and not the rest."
   Lewis said the 2002 fish mortality was at the mouth of the Klamath river, and 33,000 chinook salmon died from a run of 170,000 fish, 99% being chinook. It was a year of "low flows in the grips of drought." He said until '98 there had been five previous droughts with no salmon mortality, and some flows were  lower than in '02. He said the committee found it unlikely the Klamath Project caused the die-off. There has been no change in Project operations since 1909. The Project is 185 miles from the mortality, and the Project accounts for only up to 10% of the water at the mouth of the river. It was a drought, salmon waited for a signal to go upstream, disease overtook them and killed a portion of them. Warm Project water would not have helped them . They found the 2001 water shutoff to the Klamath Project unjustified because agencies made decisions that went against data. Agencies made and enforced  opinions.
   Some of the democrats insisted that more hot water would have helped the fish and surely, in spite of testimony by the IGO and Lewis to the contrary, they insisted Cheeny manipulated science which killed the fish, because they said Bush administration is bad for the environment and fish.
   Oregon Congressman Walden said in '93 suckers became endangered because of the Chiloquin dam and prior administrations did nothing to help. Bush administration put in multimillion $ fish screen on A Canal saving baby suckers, promoted removing Chiloquin which blocks 90% of sucker habitat, made a waterbank and provided euip funds for hundreds of conservation projects, putting over $90 million into Klamath Basin environment and ecosystem.
  So, according to the Chairman of the highest esteemed science committee in America, and the Inspector General's office, Vice President Cheney did not manipulate science to kill fish in the Klamath River in 2002.
HERE for 2002 Fish Die-off Page