Dead Fish, Gordon Smith and the Oregonian

Dead Fish, Gordon Smith and the Oregonian

When the Oregonian was finally forced into reporting on the 2002 Klamath fish kill they failed to mention Gordon Smith's involvement in spite of the fact he was a key player. Well the Oregonian is at it again.
Smith backs Cheney, farmers in fish-kill debate

Sen. Gordon Smith argues there is no evidence a massive fish kill on the Klamath River in 2002 was caused by water diversions to farmers.

Generating fresh controversy over a key Oregon environmental issue, the Republican senator also defends the role Vice President Dick Cheney played in intervening with federal officials to help farmers in the Klamath Basin. And he casts doubt on claims that the salmon die-off caused subsequent commercial fishing restrictions off the coast.

The Klamath issue is flaring anew because the House Natural Resources Committee is investigating whether Cheney exerted improper political influence to override scientifically based management of the water resources.

Environmentalists, who have long been at odds with Smith, said the senator's stance contradicts a study by the California Department of Fish and Game, which found that the water diversions played a key role in the deaths of some 77,000 salmon.

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