KLAMATH BASIN TO RECEIVE ~$29M FUNDS
In August 2022, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced it would send nearly $29 million in restoration and conservation funding to Tribes, agencies, and stakeholders in the Klamath Basin region.
The Klamath River Basin is a large region of California and Oregon drained by the Klamath River. Over the past 20 years, the Klamath Basin has met unprecedented challenges from drought conditions, limited water supply, and the diverse needs of all the life depending on its waters. The Interior Department has held several in-person and virtual engagement sessions with area Tribes, state and county agencies, and other water users to discuss short- and long-term solutions related to drought impacts. The health of the Klamath Basin’s ecosystem will require collaboration with a wide variety of stakeholders in the years to come.
To this end, the Interior Department has decided to allocate roughly $26 million from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (also known as the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act) in support of restoration and conservation efforts in the Klamath region. In March 2022, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began soliciting project proposals from local Tribes, agencies, non-governmental organizations, and other conservation partners. These projects will receive $16 million for water quality and habitat restoration, supporting fish listed in the Endangered Species Act, sustaining critically important wetlands for migrating waterfowl, and related natural resources issues.
The remaining $10 million will expand the Klamath Falls National Fish Hatchery. This project will increase rearing capacity for two federally listed fish found only in the Klamath Basin, and support restored and resilient ecosystems in the face of climate change. When completed, the expansion of the hatchery facility will help support and stabilize the imperiled, declining wild populations of both fish species in Upper Klamath Lake.
In addition to the $26 million allocation, federal grants will add nearly $3 million in funding to improve fish and wildlife habitat via the Klamath River Coho Restoration Grant Program and the Trinity River Restoration Program. This brings the total investment to nearly $29 million.
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said, “Clean water, healthy forests and fertile land made the Klamath Basin and its surrounding watershed home to tribal communities, productive agriculture, and abundant populations of migratory birds, suckers, salmon and other fish. But recent water scarcity has had a tremendous impact on the area’s fishing, farming and ecosystems…. With millions of dollars being invested in water and habitat resilience from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, help is on the way to restore this once abundant ecosystem for the benefit of all its inhabitants, human or otherwise.”
These investments represent the initial phase of enhanced restoration work in the Klamath Basin. Planning for future years will continue incorporating Tribes, localities, and stakeholders to develop and refine science-based, collaborative efforts. The ongoing projects will focus on consensus for prioritization of restoration and monitoring plans and provide additional assurance that available funding is spent wisely. The Klamath Basin is set to receive $162 million over the next five years to restore the regional ecosystem and repair local economies. Sources: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Press Release, Wikipedia
FULL CYCLE COMPOST EXPANDS
The following is a press release from Arcata’s worker-owned waste management company Full Cycle Compost:
Full Cycle Compost is now collaborating with the City of Arcata to utilize their Earth Tub composting systems at Bayside Park Farm. The Earth Tubs have been idle since the pandemic began, and the City is happy to see them put to good use again.
The Earth Tubs will build soil for Bayside Park Farm by recycling food scraps from the Community Center, the Foodworks building, Arcata Farmers Market, and the Bayside/Sunny Brae customers of Full Cycle Compost.
Isaac West, a worker-owner at Full Cycle said, “This collaborative agreement arrived just in time. The volume of food waste from the Arcata Farmers Market and our residential customers was starting to overload our compost system at the Redwood Coast Montessori Community Garden. We’re happy to see our community step up to keep this precious resource out of the landfill.”
The agreement between Full Cycle Compost and the City of Arcata is a trade, making it a real win-win. The City of Arcata has been itching to start composting again for its senior lunch program at the Community Center, the Foodworks building, and their upcoming summer camps, and this collaboration has provided a no-cost way to make that happen.
Full Cycle Compost is a worker-owned, bicycle-powered composting company. The company was incubated in the Cooperation Humboldt and North Coast Small Business Development Center’s Worker Owned Humboldt program. They serve residential and commercial customers in Arcata, and their Certified Organics Composting program provides no-cost consultations for local businesses to comply with California’s new composting law, SB-1383. Full Cycle Compost manages compost systems at Jardin Santuario, Redwood Coast Montessori Community Garden, Jacoby Creek Land Trust and now Bayside Park Farm. For more information, visit fullcyclecompost.com.
Source: Full Cycle Press Release
