Karl Rove discusses Klamath water crisis

Top Presidential Advisor Meets with Walden, Smith and Klamath Basin Leaders, Senior Advisor to the President Karl Rove discusses Klamath water crisis, Administration response

WASHINGTON, DC – Karl Rove, Senior Advisor to President George W. Bush, met with Congressman Greg Walden (R-OR), Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR), Klamath County Commissioner Steve West, and a number of agriculture leaders from the Klamath Basin to discuss the latest developments surrounding the ongoing water crisis. Congressman Walden and Senator Smith requested the meeting with Rove to discuss President Bush's efforts to resolve the situation that exists in the Klamath Basin.

“I’m deeply appreciative that Karl Rove took the time to join us and focus on the problems confronting the Basin,” said Walden. “Karl’s trip to Oregon and his familiarity with many of the complex details of the water crisis reflect the strong commitment the White House has made to addressing this situation. Moreover, President Bush’s executive order establishing the Klamath Basin Working Group speaks volumes about the President’s personal interest in the fate of the agriculture community of the Basin. We had key, knowledgeable leaders from the Basin that have worked well together to represent the Klamath Basin community, and they were able to convey very effectively the needs of the Basin to Mr. Rove.”

Among the items of discussion during the meeting was the announcement Friday, March 1, of President Bush’s executive order establishing the Klamath River Basin Federal Working Group. The working group will advise the President on both short- and long-term actions that can be taken by the federal government to reconcile the conflict between competing water interests in the Basin. To read the text of the executive order, as well as President Bush’s statement accompanying the announcement of the working group, click on the following link: walden.house.gov/klamath/.

The group met for 30 minutes and had an in-depth roundtable discussion about the needs of the agriculture economy in the Basin. The meeting focused on how the Bush Administration can best facilitate a resolution to the water crisis that will serve the needs of both farmers and ranchers and endangered fish and wildlife. Rove displayed significant knowledge of the situation in the Basin and reiterated President Bush's determination to find a lasting solution to the water crisis that has existed since April of 2001. On January 5 during a visit to Parkrose High School in Portland, Oregon, the president expressed his sensitivity to the plight of the farmers and ranchers of the Basin and his desire to find a solution to the crisis.

Attending the meeting were Dan Keppen, Executive Director of the Klamath Water Users Association; Bob Gasser, owner of Basin Fertilizer and Chemical in Klamath Falls; Mike Byrne, a rancher from Tulelake, California; Steve West, Klamath County Commissioner; Donnie Boyd, owner of Floyd A. Boyd Company in Klamath Falls; Dave Solem, President of the Klamath Water Users Association; Chris West of Smith West Company; and Glenn Barrett and Roger Nicholson, both Upper Basin ranchers.

Walden continued, “We had a thorough meeting and Karl showed the same knowledge and commitment that President Bush displayed on Air Force One when Sen. Smith and I discussed the Klamath Basin water crisis with him. The president’s new working group has the full weight of the Administration behind it, and I'm confident the White House has made this a top priority. There are a number of projects that have been on the table for years that the government has identified as positive for farmers, fish and fowl alike, and this task force will weigh those interests collectively as it works to find a solution. I'm delighted that the Administration is giving the Basin's needs the serious attention they deserve.”

"Karl is the president's right hand man," said Smith. "His involvement is a clear indication that events in Klamath will not go unnoticed at the highest levels. I expect that the administration will be extremely responsive to Klamath farmers this year."

Congressman Walden represents the Second Congressional District of Oregon, which includes the 20 counties of southern, central and eastern Oregon. Rep. Walden is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the the House Committee on Resources.

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