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Talks continue on tribes' land issues
But no proposals yet
By LEE JUILLERAT
Discussions involving land and water issues are ongoing between the Klamath Tribes and top officials in the Interior Department, but no proposals have yet been developed.
"What we're trying to do is figure out what a specific proposal would be. We're nowhere near having one yet," said Bill Bettenberg, director of Interior's Office of Policy Analysis, who is leading negotiations with tribal leaders.
Last summer, Interior Secretary Gale Norton agreed to open discussions with tribal leaders on ideas that could return former reservation lands to the tribe and ease water concerns. The tribes have senior water rights, but those rights have not been quantified.
Bettenberg said tribal leaders are interested in obtaining national forest lands, including a large portion of the Chiloquin Ranger District.
"It's very much a conceptual beginning," said Bettenberg of discussions. He is scheduled to visit with tribal leaders later this month.
The tribes have long expressed a desire to get back 692,000 acres of reservation lands liquidated by the federal government in the 1960s and '70s that are now part of the Fremont-Winema National Forests. The Klamath Tribes, which includes the Klamath, Modoc and Yahooskin band of Paiute tribes, had a reservation that covered 1.2 million acres and a thriving timber economy when the tribe was terminated in 1954.
The tribes have been holding a series of community meetings to help its "working group" establish recommendations to a general council meeting set for 10 a.m., Feb. 22, at Mills Auditorium.
At the general council, the working group will make a recommendation "as to the direction the tribes should take in talks with the U.S.," according to a letter from tribal chairman Allen Foreman.
"Today we live in an age of possibility," said Foreman. "Sixteen years ago we moved from a status of non-recognition to a recognized government heavily dependent on the United States for our survival and economic well being. Now we have a chance to move to an age of independence."
Foreman urges immediate action, noting, "For the first time in a generation we have high-level government officials seriously discussing the return of our homelands. Because of this we now have a rare and a priceless opportunity to overcome the persistent problems and burdens that were brought to us by termination."
Bettenberg emphasized the discussions are aimed at long-term solutions that will benefit the tribes and ease water concerns.
"I'm not involved in anything that's short-term," said Bettenberg. "I'm not involved in the operating plan or that sort of thing. If we can come up with good proposals that can gain broad community support, those would need to be turned into legislation."
Bettenberg, who has made several Klamath Basin visits, termed the problems "pretty complex. For an irrigation project there is an unusually small amount of water storage. That means it's difficult to even out dry and wet years."
Along with discussions with tribal leaders, Bettenberg has met with water users, "But just to tell them we're in an early conceptual stage. Everybody understands we ultimately will have to have proposals that will generate broad community support."
No immediate public meetings are planned, he said, because, "If we had a big community meeting the first question would be, 'What's being proposed?' At this point, nothing."
Regional Editor Lee Juillerat covers Lake, Siskiyou, Modoc and northern Klamath counties. He can be reached at 885-4421, (800) 275-0982, or by e-mail at lee@heraldandnews.com.
By LEE JUILLERAT
Discussions involving land and water issues are ongoing between the Klamath Tribes and top officials in the Interior Department, but no proposals have yet been developed.
"What we're trying to do is figure out what a specific proposal would be. We're nowhere near having one yet," said Bill Bettenberg, director of Interior's Office of Policy Analysis, who is leading negotiations with tribal leaders.
Last summer, Interior Secretary Gale Norton agreed to open discussions with tribal leaders on ideas that could return former reservation lands to the tribe and ease water concerns. The tribes have senior water rights, but those rights have not been quantified.
Bettenberg said tribal leaders are interested in obtaining national forest lands, including a large portion of the Chiloquin Ranger District.
"It's very much a conceptual beginning," said Bettenberg of discussions. He is scheduled to visit with tribal leaders later this month.
The tribes have long expressed a desire to get back 692,000 acres of reservation lands liquidated by the federal government in the 1960s and '70s that are now part of the Fremont-Winema National Forests. The Klamath Tribes, which includes the Klamath, Modoc and Yahooskin band of Paiute tribes, had a reservation that covered 1.2 million acres and a thriving timber economy when the tribe was terminated in 1954.
The tribes have been holding a series of community meetings to help its "working group" establish recommendations to a general council meeting set for 10 a.m., Feb. 22, at Mills Auditorium.
At the general council, the working group will make a recommendation "as to the direction the tribes should take in talks with the U.S.," according to a letter from tribal chairman Allen Foreman.
"Today we live in an age of possibility," said Foreman. "Sixteen years ago we moved from a status of non-recognition to a recognized government heavily dependent on the United States for our survival and economic well being. Now we have a chance to move to an age of independence."
Foreman urges immediate action, noting, "For the first time in a generation we have high-level government officials seriously discussing the return of our homelands. Because of this we now have a rare and a priceless opportunity to overcome the persistent problems and burdens that were brought to us by termination."
Bettenberg emphasized the discussions are aimed at long-term solutions that will benefit the tribes and ease water concerns.
"I'm not involved in anything that's short-term," said Bettenberg. "I'm not involved in the operating plan or that sort of thing. If we can come up with good proposals that can gain broad community support, those would need to be turned into legislation."
Bettenberg, who has made several Klamath Basin visits, termed the problems "pretty complex. For an irrigation project there is an unusually small amount of water storage. That means it's difficult to even out dry and wet years."
Along with discussions with tribal leaders, Bettenberg has met with water users, "But just to tell them we're in an early conceptual stage. Everybody understands we ultimately will have to have proposals that will generate broad community support."
No immediate public meetings are planned, he said, because, "If we had a big community meeting the first question would be, 'What's being proposed?' At this point, nothing."
Regional Editor Lee Juillerat covers Lake, Siskiyou, Modoc and northern Klamath counties. He can be reached at 885-4421, (800) 275-0982, or by e-mail at lee@heraldandnews.com.
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