FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 17, 2001
CONTACT: Joe Sheffo 202/228-1823
Carol Guthrie 202/224-5244
SMITH, WYDEN INTRODUCE KLAMATH CANAL OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE BILL
Legislation Is Expected to Provide $4 Million for Klamath Farmers
WASHINGTON-Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) today
introduced The Klamath Basin Emergency Operation and Maintenance Refund Act of
2001. The legislation will compensate Klamath Basin irrigation districts for
the costs of maintaining canals in the project over the past year.
"It really adds insult to injury to ask farmers to pay for the maintenance of
canals that were bone dry for most of the year because of a misguided federal
decision," said Smith. "This bill will never make up for the total losses of
the past year, but it will provide some compensation to farmers. More
importantly, it lets Klamath farmers know that the federal government still
cares about them and their families."
"Maintaining irrigation canals that didn't deliver the water that was needed
isn't an expense our agricultural community can afford," said Wyden.
Despite the fact that water was withheld from the irrigation districts for much
of the planting season, the law requires local farmers and ranchers to maintain
the canals. This bill would require a reimbursement for those costs.
Irrigation districts would then be required to return the savings to their
members. This year, the bill is expected to return over $4 million to
irrigators in the Klamath Basin.
The same bill passed the House in November under the sponsorship of Congressman
Greg Walden (R-OR).
