For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
March 1, 2002
Presidential Memo on Klamath River Basin Working Group
MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE
THE SECRETARY OF COMMERCE
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
SUBJECT: Klamath River Basin
Federal Working Group
The 2001 drought in the Klamath River Basin in Oregon and
California, along with Federal legal requirements regarding water use,
resulted in a scarcity of water available both for agricultural use and
for maintenance of water levels necessary to sustain threatened and
endangered fish populations in the Klamath River
Basin. Last year, the reduction in water available for
irrigation caused severe economic consequences in the
Basin. Ensuring that the farming community has access to
sufficient water supply while complying with Federal environmental laws
and respecting Tribal trust obligations will involve complex economic
and legal issues that call for the immediate attention of Cabinet-level
officials and others. Accordingly, I direct as follows:
1. Establishment. There is hereby established
the Klamath River Basin Federal Working Group, which shall consist of
the following officers of the Federal Government or other such officers
designated by them: the Secretary of the Interior, who shall
serve as Chair; the Secretary of Agriculture; the Secretary of
Commerce; and the Chairman of the Council on Environmental
Quality. Any designee named by a member of the group shall
be a full-time or permanent part-time officer or employee of the
Federal Government. The Secretary of the Interior may invite
the participation of other Federal officials as appropriate and shall
preside at meetings of the Klamath River Basin Federal Working Group
and shall direct its work.
2. Mission. The Klamath River Basin Federal
Working Group shall advise the President on immediate steps and
long-term solutions to enhance water quality and quantity and to
address other complex issues in the Klamath River Basin. In
formulating this advice, the Klamath River Basin Federal Working Group
or its members are encouraged to seek input from stakeholders,
including members of the farming and fishing communities; residents of
the Basin; representatives of conservation, environmental, and water
use organizations, and existing coordinating entities; the States of
Oregon and California; local governments; and representatives of
Klamath River Basin Tribal governments.
3. Funding. The Department of the Interior
shall, to the extent permitted by law and consistent with the need for
funding as determined by the Secretary of the Interior, make funds
appropriated to the Department of the Interior available to support the
administrative costs of the Klamath River Basin Federal Working Group.
4. Authority. Advice is requested from the
Klamath River Basin Federal Working Group pursuant to the Opinions
Clause of Article II, Section 2 of the Constitution and other
applicable constitutional authorities of the President.
5. Termination. The Klamath River Basin
Federal Working Group shall terminate 18 months from the date of this
memorandum, or at my direction, whichever occurs earlier.
GEORGE W. BUSH
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