Indians protest lack of voice at conference
Alex Breitler, The Record Searchlight, July 11, 2003

SACRAMENTO — Angry over a lack of representation, about 150 American Indians from the Klamath River area protested Thursday outside a regional water conference here. Members of the Yurok tribe piled into buses and cars as early as 12:30 a.m. Thursday for the roughly 300-mile drive to Sacramento, said the tribe's Executive Director Troy Fletcher.

While American Indians were invited to attend the federal government's conference, none participated, Fletcher said. "It was just disappointing," said Fletcher. "It was terrible for us."

About 33,000 salmon died last year on the Klamath River, due in part to low flows. American Indians who depend on the fish have criticized government policy that diverts water to farms in the upper Klamath Basin.

Bureau of Reclamation spokesman Jeff McCracken said one American Indian was invited to participate in a conference panel. But, he said, that representative — from a Nevada tribe — was unable to attend. "Circumstances just caught up with us," said McCracken. "We just never had an opportunity to replace him. We just went ahead and held the event today as best we could."

It would only make sense, Fletcher said, to invite members from tribes involved in the hotly debated Klamath River issue. But the "Water 2025" conference — the third of eight regional meetings to discuss ways to prevent water conflicts in the future — wasn't devoted solely to the woes of the Klamath, McCracken said.

U.S. Interior Secretary Gale Norton announced the Water 2025 strategy last month to boost water supplies, promote conservation, increase efficiency and bank water for dry years. But the look to the future has brought critics from the present. "It's surprising that Bureau of Reclamation came here with a vision for 2025 with no vision for 2003," said Craig Tucker of Friends of the River, which joined the tribe and the Sierra Club in protesting the conference.

The Yuroks, joined by members of the Hoopa tribe and some environmental groups, held what Fletcher called a "respectful, peaceful" demonstration, not only against their lack of participation but against the government's water policy in general. Tribe members stood outside a hotel holding signs with sayings such as, "Fish need water stupid" and "Got water? Give some to the fish."

Fletcher said he thinks he knows why American Indians weren't more involved in the meeting. "If they asked the Yurok tribe to speak, we would tell it like it is," Fletcher said. "There's too much demand on a limited supply" of water.

McCracken said the conference's 500 participants saw the beginning of a dialogue that should continue into the future. Besides holding the regional meetings, the government has a "Water 2025" plan that would seek voluntary water transfers, reduce the cost of advanced water treatment and install new water management technologies.

"People recognized what the administration's focus here is, and it's a good one," McCracken said. Fletcher said the Yuroks were at least pleased that they got their point across. "We're extremely concerned that unless the Bureau of Reclamation identifies real solutions today, at present, there won't be fish around — at least on the Klamath — in any meaningful numbers in 2025," he said.

it is of little surprise that the northwest is a shitty place for republican-industry agenda based lackeys to prosper politically.
the only" good" thing Norton has got going is a PR base. it certainly is not science that they are selling.
too bad so many journalists /media lackeys don't get
the green-light to tack serious questions to the interior dept jackasses.

NPR recently interviewed Norton. and for that deeply repaginate attempt at journalism, I'd offer them an a+-- and that is if NPR's goal was to emulate the detailed perspective the listener expects to gleem from the back of a box of corn flakes.

then again, if balanced reporting is a bowl of milktoast, then NPR is setting the trend.

"former Libertarian Gale Norton is one small step for the Republican Party, but one giant leap for Libertarian-style environmental policies" Steve Dasbach, L.P. National Director

"Gale Norton should be thrown in jail", Elouise Cobell, Blackfeet tribe leader

SEE: Stolen Trust: Gale Norton, Native Americans and the Case of the Missing $10 Billion
BY: Jeffrey St. Clair, CounterPunch, September 5, 2002

... Her politics took a turn after the young Norton began reading Ayn Rand novels such as "The Fountainhead." She became active in Libertarian Party politics and served as a delegate when Edward Clark ran for the White House on the Libertarian ticket in 1980.

After graduating from law school, Norton was hired in 1979 by the Mountain States Legal Foundation, which was founded by James G. Watt. "She sought us out," Watt recalled last week. "She wanted to work for a cause-driven public law foundation."

Mountain States was formed in 1977, supported by money from the Coors beer-brewing family, as a way for conservatives to use the courts to further their aims in public policy and the law. Over the years, Mountain States has taken on cases that sought to overturn affirmative action set-asides, to oppose windfall profit taxes for oil companies, and to pursue a "wise use" agenda by opening more public lands for hunting, fishing, snowmobiling, mining, logging, and oil and gas exploration.

...Her former mentor, Watt, said: "The one thing the press never understands is that Cabinet officers are loyal to their president." Why was Norton chosen? "She was picked because Bush believes that she will carry out his agenda" Watt said.