Statement of Defenders of Wildlife President Rodger Schlickeisen on Senate vote on Klamath Basin
There are no easy answers to all the problems created by the drought in the Klamath Basin of California and Oregon. It’s causing hardships for many more people than farmers. Let’s not forget that fishermen and Native Americans also have stakes here.
Senator Gordon Smith’s amendment would have rolled back protections for endangered salmon. Their population declines already have caused the loss of 7,000 well-paying jobs in the commercial fishing and related industries. And this amendment would have rolled back protections for other endangered fish of great importance to Native Americans in the region. Some of these fish are an important food source to the Klamath Tribes and are the center of the tribes’ culture.
Senator Smith’s amendment was short-sighted, and it wouldn’t have helped anyone in the long run. Even if there was no Endangered Species Act, there would be trouble in the Klamath Basin because there’s not enough water to go around during this serious drought.
We support the $20 million in emergency aid that Congress has appropriated to help residents cope in the Klamath Basin. That money should be a down payment on a long-term solution that leads to better conservation of the region’s precious water resources.
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Defenders of Wildlife is a leading nonprofit conservation organization recognized as one of the nation's most progressive advocates for wildlife and its habitat. With more than 430,000 members and supporters, Defenders of Wildlife is an effective leader on environmental issues.
Contact(s):
Cat Lazaroff, (202) 772-3270
