Trademark America’s President, Staci Grant today announced that Siskiyou County, California Supervisors Jim Cook and Mike Kobseff have been told by Secretary of Interior Salazar that he will delay indefinitely any decision about whether to allow the process for destruction of Klamath River dams to continue.
The Supervisors were told a key management staff member in the Secretary’s office that Salazar will announce later today that he will delay any decision until Congress grants authorization for action on the River.
Siskiyou County Supervisors Jim Cook and Mike Kobseff were told of the decision in a meeting just after noon today, EST in Washington, D.C. The Supervisors are in Washington, D.C. to advise Congress and staff of the severe economic losses that would result from destruction of the dams.
The Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors have insisted for months that the Department of Interior has violated federal law requiring that the Department coordinate the decision with the County, and seek consistency with county ordinances and policies that do not support dam destruction. Today they stated their position to the staff and, according to Supervisor Cook, “we were told that the Secretary is going to announce today that he will delay any decision on destruction of the dams until Congress grants him authority to take such action on the Klamath River.”
Supervisor Kobseff said “the commitment was made that the Secretary will comply with all our County ordinances and policies and will follow all federal laws and guidelines. It was clear to us that there will be compliance with the coordination requirements in federal law.”
Earlier today, Supervisor Cook advised Congressional staff that destruction of the dams would eliminate “clean energy produced by hydroelectric generation that powers all of Siskiyou County.” The County Supervisors have been assisted in their efforts to seek compliance with the coordination requirements of federal law by Trademark America’s Staci Grant, Jon Grant and Fred Kelly Grant.
Staci Grant was present during today’s critical meeting. She said “the Foundation’s Board cannot be happier that we have been able to work with the County Supervisors and County Counsel Tom Guarino in seeking such decision. It justifies all the work that so many people have put in around the nation to emphasize the importance of local government in the federal system.”
The Supervisors will continue their meetings with key members of Congress urging action to deny the Secretary the authority to allow destruction of the dams, and urging forest initiatives that will make the national forest lands in the County more economically productive, more wildlife friendly, and healthier.