[MUSIC] >> COMING UP NEXT, MEMBERS OF THE CALIFORNIA FACULTY ASSOCIATION APPROVE A NEW CONTRACT AFTER MONTHS OF NEGOTIATION, A SHORT STRIKE AND A GNASHING OF TEETH.

ALSO FIFTH DISTRICT SUPERVISOR STEVE MADRONE JOINS US TO TALK ABOUT RECENT PROGRESS ON SEVERAL ENVIRONMENTAL FRONTS, ESPECIALLY THE ONGOING REMOVAL OF DAMS ALONG THE KLAMATH RIVER, COMING UP NOW ON HEADLINE HUMBOLDT.

[MUSIC] FROM THE TOP OF HUMBOLDT HILL, THANKS FOR JOINING US.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES AND STATE AGENCIES ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY RESPECTFUL OF AND EVEN RELIANT UPON INDIGENOUS WISDOM.

THE TIRED AND RACIST CLICH ÉS ABOUT NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES AND THEIR STATUS IN AMERICAN LIFE HAVE BEEN UPENDED AS LOCAL TRIBES PROVE REPEATEDLY TO BE FORWARD THINKING, RESPONSIVE AND INVESTED IN OUTCOMES THAT WORK FOR EVERYONE.

ON THIS SHOW, WE'VE REPORTED THESE FACTS IN VARIOUS STORIES FROM THE RETURN OF TULUWAT ISLAND TO THE WIYOTS AND SAID THE ADOPTION OF TRIBAL FIRE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES TO THE CONDOR RESTORATION PROGRAM AND THE ONGOING REPAIR AND REMEDIATION OF THE KLAMATH RIVER.

IT'S NOT HYPERBOLE TO SAY THE WORLD AT THIS MOMENT FINDS ITSELF ON THE PRECIPICE OF DISASTER.

WARS, CLAIM, ECONOMIC INEQUALITY THREATEN US FROM ALL DIRECTIONS.

FOR THOSE AMONG US NOT MARRIED TO THE IDEA OF OUR OWN SUPERIORITY, THERE ARE APPROACHES TO THESE PROBLEMS THAT CAN WORK WELL IF WE'RE WILLING TO RE-EXAMINE OUR VALUE SYSTEM AND BRACE AN ETHIC LONG BEEN OPERATIVE IN NATIVE CULTURES.

WE'RE FINALLY HUMBLE ENOUGH AS A NATION TO RECOGNIZE GOOD IDEAS WHEN THEY'RE STANDING RIGHT IN FRONT OF US.

WE'LL CHAT WITH DISTRICT SUPERVISOR STEVE MADRONE ABOUT THE RECENT PROGRESS ON THE KLAMATH RIVER, ON WIND POWER'S POTENTIAL, AND HOW OUR LOCAL RELATIONSHIP WITH AREA TRIBES HAS BECOME A MASSIVE ADVANTAGE AS WE SEEK TO FIND REAL SOLUTIONS TO INTRACTABLE PROBLEMS.

BUT FIRST, THE NEWS.

AFTER EIGHT MONTHS OF BARGAINING AND TWO SETS OF STRIKES, 76% OF CALIFORNIA FACULTY ASSOCIATION EMPLOYEES VOTED THIS WEEK TO APPROVE A NEW CONTRACT WITH THE CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM.

THE UNION REPRESENTS PROFESSORS, LECTURERS, COUNSELORS, AND THE LIKE AT UNIVERSITIES LIKE HUMBOLDT, STATE AND OTHERS.

AS WELL AS RAISING THE SALARY FLOOR FOR LOWEST PAID FACULTY.

IT ALSO INCREASES PAID PARENTAL LEAVE ALLOTMENTS AND ACKNOWLEDGES THE NEED TO >> Professor: STUDENT TO COUNSELOR RATIOS AND OTHER WORKLOAD ISSUES.

IF DISTRICT SUPERIOR STEVE MADRONE RAN FOR OFFICE INITIALLY AS A CHAMPION FOR WATERSHED RESTORATION AND CONSENSUS BUILDING, HE'S SEEN MUCH PROGRESS AND TOOK TIME THIS WEEK TO REFLECT ON HOW THESE SUCCESSES HAVE COME TOGETHER AND WHAT THEY MEAN.

>> IT'S SO WONDERFUL TO HAVE IT HAPPENING UNDER MY WATCH, BUT THERE'S SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN INVOLVED FOREVER, INCLUDING THE TRIBES, BOTH THE DOWNRIVER TRIBES, THE KARUK, THE HOOPA, THE YUROK AS WELL AS UPRIVER TRIBES UP IN THE HEAD WATERS OF THE KLAMATH RIVER, THE TRIBAL GROUPS UP THERE.

ALONG WITH THE RANCHERS AND TIMBER COMPANIES, EVERYBODY ELSE IN BETWEEN.

IT WAS NOT EASY GETTING TO THIS PLACE, THE LARGEST DAM REMOVAL PROJECT IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND IT IS WONDERFUL FOR MANY PEOPLE TO SEE THOSE DAMS COMING DOWN.

THERE ARE LOTS OF ISSUES TO DEAL WITH.

THERE'S HEAVY METAL STORAGE IN THE SEDIMENTS AND OTHER KINDS OF THINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT, SO IT'S NEVER REALLY PERFECT OR COMPLETE.

THERE'S ALWAYS MORE TO DO.

BUT I AM VERY, VERY HAPPY TO SEE THAT'S HAPPENING, AND THE ENTITIES INVOLVED HAVING DOING A GREAT JOB OF ENGAGING THE TRIBES AND LOCAL CONTRACTORS SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THE BENEFIT OF THAT WORK GOES TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES, WHICH IS ALSO REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.

IT'S ALSO REALLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THESE FOUR DAMS OR SIX DAMS ON THE KLAMATH, THE OTHER TWO ARE IN THE HEAD WATERS AREA ABOVE KLAMATH FALLS, BUT THESE FOUR, NONE OF THEM HAD ANY RELATIONSHIP TO IRRIGATION WATER.

IT JUST SIMPLY -- THAT WAS NOT WHAT THEY PROVIDED BENEFIT.

THEY PRODUCED POWER, ELECTRICITY THAT PRIMARILY WENT TO SOUTHERN OREGON, WHICH IS GREAT.

IT'S RIGHT THERE JUST ACROSS THE BORDER.

SO IT'S JUST IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT BECAUSE A LOT OF THE BATTLES IN THE HEADWATERS OF THE KLAMATH HAVE TO DO WITH THE FIGHT OVER THE WATER AND THE WATER NEEDED FOR AGRICULTURE, A LOT OF POTATO GROWING AND AL ALFALFA VERSUS FISH, WHETHER IT'S THE SALMON THAT STILL HEAD DOWNSTREAM.

SO THOSE TWO DAMS AND THE HEADWATERS ARE A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED, BUT THIS ALL BEGAN WELL OVER 100 YEARS AGO WHEN THE RECK BUREAU OF RECLAMATION SAW THIS LAND IN THE HEADWATERS AND THAT WAS IN MANY WAYS THE START OF WHAT WE CALL THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION.

SO IT WAS THIS WHOLE CONCEPT THAT SOMEHOW THE LAND WAS WASTING AWAY AND WE NEEDED TO RECLAIM IT FROM WHAT IT WAS, BEING DROWNED IN WATER, WHICH THAT DROWNING IN WATER WAS ALL THE WETLANDS AND ALL THE WATER THAT PROVIDED FOR ONE OF THE LARGEST SALMON RUNS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, RIGHT?

IT WAS THAT COLDWATER RELEASE IN THE SUMMER TIME FROM THOSE WETLANDS.

SO IT'S SUPER COMPLICATED.

AND WE GOT A LOT MORE YEARS AND DECADES TO GO TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO BE ABLE TO BALANCE THOSE THINGS AND HOPEFULLY CONTINUE TO HAVE AGRICULTURE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME DOING WHAT WE CAN TO RESTORE THE FISHERIES AND THE CULTURAL ASPECTS THAT THOSE FISH REPRESENT FOR OUR NATIVE PEOPLES HERE IN HUMBOLDT AND COUNTIES.

AND WHERE IT COMES OUT AT THE MOUTH, THAT'S DELL NORT COUNTY.

I WOULD PUT THE THANK YOUS ON THE BACKS OF THOSE WHO CAME LONG BEFORE ME.

I'VE JUST BASICALLY BEEN ABLE TO SUPPORT WHERE WE'RE HEADING AND CONSTANTLY KIND OF POUND THE DRUMS OF LOCAL INVOLVEMENT AND LOCAL BENEFIT FROM THE JOBS THAT ARE CREATED IN THIS WHOLE PROCESS.

AND I WILL SAY THAT I THINK PACIFIC CORPS GOT OUT PRETTY GOOD ON THIS ONE.

THEY MADE THE MONEY ON THE UTILITIES FOR YEARS AND YEARS.

AND THEN IT'S THE TAXPAYERS THAT ARE FOOTING THE BILL ON THE RESTORING OF THE RIVER AND REMOVING THE DAMS, WHICH IS ALWAYS KIND OF INTERESTING TO ME.

IF YOU LOOK AT UTILITIES IN GENERAL, IT'S INTERESTING HOW WHEN PG&E IS DOING REALLY WELL, BECAUSE IT'S A PRIVATE UTILITY, THE SHAREHOLDERS MAKE FORTUNES.

THAT WAS SOME PRETTY GOOD VALUABLE STOCK.

SUDDENLY WHEN THERE'S A LOT OF LIABILITIES, THAT DOESN'T COME OUT OF THE SHAREHOLDERS' POCKETS.

AND PEOPLE ARE SEEING A DOUBLING OF THEIR RATES WHICH IF YOU'RE ON A FIXED INCOME AND YOU GO FROM 200 A MONTH TO 400, 500 A MONTH, IT'S KILLING PEOPLE.

IT'S REALLY HURTING.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES AROUND UTILITIES AND THAT WAS CERTAINLY ONE OF THE THINGS WITH PACIFIC CORPS AND THE KLAMATH, BUT THAT'S JUST SOME OPENING REMARKS.

>> NO, THAT'S FANTASTIC.

WE WERE TALKING LAST WEEK ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE, THE ACTUAL EXPERIENCE IN 2002, THE FISH KILL.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO THE AUDIENCE WHAT YOUR EXPERIENCE WAS OF THAT TIME AND WERE YOU INVOLVED EVEN JUST TANGENTIALLY AND SORT OF THE EMOTIONAL IMPACT AND HOW THAT LATER CRYSTALLIZED INTO POLITICAL ACTION?

IF THAT HADN'T HAPPENED, WE WOULDN'T BE HERE TODAY.

>> IT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE THAT THAT WAS QUITE A MILESTONE OR A BAD MILESTONE, I WILL SAY, THE FISH KILL.

AND IT WAS GENIUS WHEN THEY THOUGHT LET'S TAKE ALL THESE ROTTING FISH AND DUMP THEM ON THE FLOOR OF, YOU KNOW, THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR OR WHOEVER WE NEEDED TO GET ATTENTION TO RECOGNIZE THAT SOMETHING VERY SERIOUS WAS HAPPENING TO THE ECOSYSTEM ON THE KLAMATH RIVER.

LET ME JUST SAY THAT I'VE OENDORSED FRANKIE MYERS AND I THINK FRANKIE BRINGS TOTEABLE TE TABLE TO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM OUR COMMUNITY WHICH WE ALWAYS HAD WITH SO MANY OTHERS.

THEY CAME FROM HUMBOLDT COUNTY.

AND OVER TIME, SANTA ROSA GREW REALLY BIG, SONOMA GAINED THE VOTING BLOCK AND MORE LATELY, WE'VE HAD REPS FROM THERE.

I WILL SAY THAT SENATOR MCGUIRE IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST REPRESENTATIVES WE'VE EVER HAD AND WHAT A GREAT POSITION HE'S IN RIGHT NOW TO HELP THE NORTH COAST.

AND THE ASSEMBLY, THE HEAD OF THE ASSEMBLY IS ALSO FROM A RURAL COUNTY, SO FIRST TIME IN I THINK DECADES THAT BOTH HOUSES IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAVE BEEN LED BY OR SECOND IN CHARGE LED BY, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE FROM RURAL COUNTIES, SO THAT'S A GREAT THING.

AS YOU SAID IN THE BEGINNING, YES, I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN WATERSHED RESTORATION FOR 50 YEARS.

EVER SINCE I CAME TO HUMBOLDT IN THE 1970S TO GET MY BACHELOR'S DEGREE AT HUMBOLDT STATE.

IT WAS CALLED HUMBOLDT STATE COLLEGE AT THE TIME.

AND THEN I GOT MY BACHELORS AND NOW, OF COURSE, IT'S CAL POLY HUMBOLDT, AND I GOT MY MASTERS THERE AS WELL.

SO I'VE BEEN DEEPLY ENGAGED IN WATERSHED EFFORTS FOR THE LAST 50 YEARS.

AND THE PRINCIPLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN, AT LEAST FROM THE WAY I'VE TRIED TO OPERATE AND THE GROUPS I'VE WORKED WITH, WAS TO TRY AND FIGURE OUT WHAT WERE THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITIES, WHAT DID THEY NEED TO HAVE HAPPEN, AND COULD WE MEET THOSE NEEDS WHILE ALSO DOING BETTER BY THE FISH AND THE OTHER SPECIES THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM THE RESTORATION OF WHETHER IT'S WATER, STREAMS, OR FORESTS, FRANKLY, AND ALL OF THAT.

AND SO WHEN YOU FIND THAT INTERSECTION OF COMMONALITY AND YOU'RE ABLE TO GET THAT WIN-WIN TYPE SOLUTION, THAT'S WHEN PROJECTS MOVE FORWARD.

AND THAT'S WHY THE KLAMATH DAMS CAME DOWN, BECAUSE FRANKLY THE COST OF MAINTAINING FISH LADDERS AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT WERE ORIGINALLY REQUIRED BUT THE CONDITIONS WERE REQUIRED EVEN MORE OF PACIFIC CORPS, THEY KNEW IT WAS A LOSING VENTURE FOR THEM TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH ALL THAT AND PRODUCE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF ELECTRICITY, RIGHT?

SO IT WAS AN UPSIDE-DOWN EQUATION FOR THEM AS A BUSINESS.

SO THE COMMONALITY THERE WAS, HEY, WHY DON'T YOU GET OUT FROM UNDER IT AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY THE BILL, NOR DID THE RATEPAYERS, IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT RIGHT.

THAT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE COMMON THEME ARE WATERSHED RESTORATION ESPECIALLY IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY WHICH HAS THE EPICENTRE OF THE RESTORATION MOVEMENT IN AMERICA FOR SURE.

AND THAT CAME OUT OF THE EXPANSION OF REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK BACK IN THE 1970S OF WHICH I WAS ONE OF THE COORDINATORS OF THAT EFFORT AND WE SPOKE LOUD AND CLEAR AS STUDENTS AT HUMBOLDT STATE THAT WE NEEDED A WATERSHED RESTORATION COMPONENT TO THE PARK EXPANSION BILL.

SO HUMBOLDT HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN THIS KIND OF STUFF FOR A LONG TIME AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK ENVIRONMENTALIST IS KIND OF A DIRTY WORD.

THEY LOVE THE OUTDOORS, THEY LOVE TO HUNT AND FISH, THEY HAVE CREDIBLE WORK ETHIC.

WHEN YOU FIND THAT COMMON GROUND WITH PEOPLE, YOU'RE ABLE TO GET PROJECTS DONE, AND SO I'VE BEEN LUCKY TO FIND MYSELF IN A LOT OF POSITIONS OUT HERE IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY, AROUND THE BAY AND NORTH HUMBOLDT, WHERE I'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO TRAIL BUILDING WHICH YOU MAY NOT THINK OF THAT AS WATERSHED WORK, BUT THE NEAT THING ABOUT TRAILS, THERE ARE NO DEMOCRATS, THERE'S NO REPUBLICAN, THERE'S JUST PEOPLE, PEOPLE WITH THEIR KIDS, WITH THEIR DOGS, AND GETTING TO KNOW THEIR NEIGHBORS, RIGHT?

AND IT ACTUALLY IS A COMMUNITY-BUILDING TOOL WHEN WE BUILD TRAILS AND IT BUILDS THAT COMMON GROUND BETWEEN PEOPLE WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPINIONS AND THANK GOODNESS WE HAVE THOSE THOSE.

SO FRANKLY, HAVING THAT DIVERSITY OF THINKING BUT AT THE SAME TIME A RESPECT FOR THOSE DIFFERENCES, THAT'S WHERE WE GET A LOT DONE.

I THINK YOU'VE SEEN OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO REALLY MAKE STRONG EFFORTS TOWARDS FINDING THAT COMMON GROUND AND FINDING WAYS TO RESPECT OUR DIFFERENCES.

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, FIND OUR WAY TO A 5-0 VOTE EVEN THOUGH WE MAY NOT AGREE ON EVERYTHING.

AND I KNOW FOR OUR STAFF AND OUR COMMUNITY, WHEN THEY SEE US AS POLITICIANS WORKING BETTER THAT WAY AND ACTUALLY GETTING THINGS DONE, THAT'S WHY THEY ELECT US.

THEY DON'T ELECT US TO FIGHT FOR OUR INDIVIDUAL VALUES ONE WAY OR THE OTHER BUT TO WORK TOGETHER, FIND SOLUTIONS, AND WATERSHED IS THAT EFFORT.

IT BRINGS US TOGETHER ON MANY LEVELS.

>> YEAH.

ONE OF THE THINGS -- YOU TALKED ABOUT A WIN-WIN SITUATION AND TAKING THE CONFLICT OUT OF IT AND TRYING TO FIND A WAY THAT EVERY PARTY CAN BENEFIT FROM A GIVEN AGREEMENT.

I REMEMBER WHEN THAT ISSUE FIRST REALLY CAME UP, IT WAS FRAMED AS FARMERS VERSUS FISH OR FARMERS VERSUS TRIBES.

AND I THINK ALL SIDES ARE SEEING THE BENEFIT OF THIS CURRENT AGREEMENT.

CAN YOU TALK JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW SOMETIMES THOSE CONFLICTS ARE REALLY JUST ILLUSIONS OR A WAY THAT CERTAIN PARTISANS WANT TO FRAME THE ARGUMENT TO GET A BENEFIT, BUT THAT'S NOT ACTUALLY WHERE THE SOLUTION IS GOING TO BE FOUND AND WHERE FURTHER PROGRESS LAY.

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

I REMEMBER WHEN SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF THE YUROK TRIBE, STAFF AND COUNCIL MEMBERS, SAID, WELL, LET'S TAKE SOME FISH AND GO UP TO THE HEADWATERS OF THE KLAMATH AND SIT DOWN AND HAVE A MEAL TOGETHER.

SITTING DOWN, BREAKING BREAD AND HAVING THAT FOOD TOGETHER, BRINGING THE THINGS THAT EACH OF YOU BRING TO THE TABLE, IT OPENS UP CONVERSATIONS.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SOLVE EVERYTHING THAT DAY.

BUT IN ORDER TO SOLVE THINGS, YOU'VE GOT TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS.

YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO FIND A WAY TO HEAR EACH OTHER.

AND THAT WAS A VERY SYMBOLIC WAY OF DOING THAT, I THOUGHT.

SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, HUMBOLDT COUNTY, I MEAN, WE ARE, AS I SAID, AT THE EPICENTRE AND YOU CAN'T NAME A RIVER IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY THAT DOESN'T HAVE A VERY ACTIVE WATERSHED COUNCIL, WATERSHED GROUP, WORKING WITH AGENCIES AND LANDOWNERS, TO DO ALL KINDS OF VERY INNOVATIVE AND REWARDING TYPES OF WORK THAT ARE ACTUALLY HAVING A BENEFIT IN TERMS OF JOBS.

REALLY GOOD-PAYING JOBS, BECAUSE IT'S ALMOST ALL PREVAILING WAGE.

AS WELL AS ACTUALLY WORKING TO RESTORE OUR FISH.

AND YEAH, WE HAVEN'T TURNED THE CORNER YET, THE NUMBERS AREN'T COMING UP REALLY FAST OR DRAMATIC.

PART OF THAT IS OCEAN CONDITIONS WHICH HAS TO DO WITH CLIMATE CHANGE AND MANY OTHER THINGS.

AND, YES, SEALS AND OTHER THINGS EAT SOME FISH AT THE MOUTH, BUT WHEN THERE WAS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FISH COMING INTO THE RIVER, THAT HAD NO IMPACT.

WHEREAS WHEN YOU'RE DOWN TO A VERY FEW, PEOPLE THINK THAT'S THE BIG IMPACT, BUT REALLY IT'S JUST A VISIBLE THING AND WE ALL WANT TO GET BACK TO HAVING, LIKE THE OLD-TIMERS AND THE NATIVE PEOPLES SAID, YOU COULD WALK ACROSS THEIR BACKS ON THE STREAMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

THOSE ARE REALLY TRUE STORIES.

IT'S PRETTY PHENOMENAL HOW MUCH DECLINE WE'VE SEEN IN THE LAST 30, 40 YEARS, BUT WE'RE TURNING THAT CORNER AND PEOPLE ARE WORKING TOGETHER AND DEVELOPING PROJECTS THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

>> AND THEN CHANGING GEARS A LITTLE BIT, I WAS AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE RECENTLY WHEN IT WAS ANNOUNCED THE $426 MILLION WOULD BE COMING TO THE HUMBOLDT BAY HARBOR RECREATION DISTRICT.

AND IF YOU COULD JUST -- FROM A SUPERVISOR'S PERSPECTIVE AND SOMEONE WHO'S BEEN FOLLOWING THESE ISSUES FOR A LONG TIME, CAN WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FIRST OFF HOW BIG OF AN ECONOMIC BOOST THIS COULD POTENTIALLY BE?

AND THEN HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT THIS MAY BE A WAY FOR US TO HAVE SOME SORT OF ECONOMIC PROGRESS WHILE SORT OF GETTING AWAY, YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY FROM SOME OF THE EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES OF THE PAST.

THIS MIGHT BE A FRESH START WHERE WE'RE ABLE TO UTILIZE WHAT WE HAVE WITHOUT NECESSARILY DESTROYING IT WHILE ALSO MOVING AHEAD ON THE LEDGER.

>> YEAH, NO, THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, NONE OF THIS STUFF IS EASY.

THERE'S NO MAGIC PILL OR MAGIC INDUSTRY OUT THERE THAT COMES FREE OF IMPACTS.

>> SURE.

>> EVERYTHING WE DO IN LIFE HAS AN IMPACT.

AND REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS WEIGH WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF THESE DIFFERENT OPTIONS.

BUT AS YOU'VE SAID, YEAH, HUMBOLDT HAS BEEN BUILT EVER SINCE NATIVE TIMES -- IN NATIVE AMERICAN TIMES, THEY HAD A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY FOR THOUSANDS OF OF YEARS.

WE'RE NOW STARTING TO LEARN SOME OF THOSE LESSONS IN FOREST MANAGEMENT AND THE USE OF FIRE, FOR INSTANCE, WHICH WAS THE NATIVE PEOPLES PRIMARY TOOL FOR MANAGING LANDSCAPES TO KEEP OPEN GRASSLANDS FOR ELK AND DEER AND BASKET GRASSES FOR WEAVING AS WELL AS BULBS AND OTHER THINGS.

AND SO WE'RE LEARNING FROM THAT.

BUT WE'RE NOT IN THAT WORLD ANYMORE.

WE'RE IN A WORLD WHERE THINGS HAVE MOVED RAPIDLY WITH THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AND OTHER THINGS.

AND RIGHT NOW, HUMBOLDT COUNTY IS RUNNING ITSELF IN TERMS OF ELECTRICITY, UNLESS YOU GOT SOLAR AND YOU'RE TOTALLY OFF THE GRID, A LITTLE BIT OF HYDRO OR WIND, MOST OF US ARE BASICALLY GETTING OUR ELECTRICITY FROM THE HUMBOLDT BAY PLANT, WHICH IS RUNNING OFF OF FRACKED NATURAL GAS THAT'S PIPED IN FROM THE DAKOTAS.

AND THE AMOUNT OF ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE HAPPENING FROM THAT IS HORRENDOUS.

AND THERE ARE NATIVE PEOPLES IN THOSE AREAS THAT HAVE FOUGHT A LOT OF THAT LIKE THE DAKOTA PIPELINES AND OTHER KINDS OF THINGS FOR GOOD REASONS IN TERMS OF THE IMPACTS TO THEIR COMMUNITIES AND OTHER AREAS.

SO WHAT CAN HUMBOLDT DO TO TRY AND BE INDEPENDENT AND NOT JUST CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THE OLD, YOU KNOW, BOOM AND BUST CYCLES OF FISHING AND THEN WE OVERFISH OR LOGGING AND WE OVERLOG.

OR CANNABIS AND THEN WE OVERGREW.

NOT SO MUCH HERE AS THE STATE UNLEASHING SANTA BARBARA, MONTERREY, LAKE COUNTY, WITH 18F IT.

THERE'S A LOT OF TALK IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT MEASURE AFT AND WHETHER IT'S A GOOD OR BAD THING AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, BUT IN REGARDS TO WIND POWER, I WAS REALLY HOPING WE COULD APPROVE THE PROJECT ON MONUMENT RIDGE WITH SOME CONDITIONS.

AND ONE OF THOSE WAS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT WE NEEDED TO GUARANTEE THE JOBS WENT TO THE LOCAL WORKFORCE AND FRANKLY THE PROPONENT OF THAT PROJECT DIDN'T AGREE TO ASSIGNING A PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT UNTIL THEY WERE DENIED THEIR PERMITS FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEN SUDDENLY THEY WERE READY TO SIGN THE P.L.A.

WELL, I'M NOT INTERESTED IN ENCOURAGING INDUSTRY TO COME INTO OUR AREA THAT ISN'T GOING TO DO RIGHT BY OUR WORKFORCE RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE.

THAT HAS TO BE NUMBER ONE.

FOR INSTANCE, LIKE NORDIC AQUA FARMS HAS MADE THAT COMMITMENT RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE TO DO THAT AND EVEN WITH THIS OFFSHORE WIND, THERE'S GREAT IMPROVEMENT ON COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENTS, PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS AND OTHER THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY NEGOTIATED AND AGREED TO.

SO I THINK WE'RE DOING BETTER AT POTENTIALLY ATTRACTING INDUSTRY THAT NOT ONLY WILL COME IN AND TREAT US RIGHT WHEN THEY'RE HERE, BUT WHEN THEY'RE DONE, THEY'VE GOT A BOND TO CLEAN UP.

LIKE THE PULP MILLS.

YES, THEY CREATED GREAT-PAYING JOBS FOR DECADES, BUT THEN THEY WALKED AWAY WITH HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF CLEANUP PUT ON THE TAXPAYERS.

IT'S NOT JUST ATTRACTING BUSINESS.

IT'S ATTRACTING RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS.

ONE-WORD DIFFERENCE, RESPONSIBLE, RIGHT?

AND SO THE OTHER THING WAS TO CLEAN UP AFTER THEMSELVES UP ON MONUMENT RIDGE AND THEY WEREN'T GOING TO DO THAT.

THEY WERE GOING TO LEAVE PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING BEHIND.

AND THEN ULTIMATELY WORKING WITH THE RANCHER THERE AND THE COMMUNITY TO TRANSFER THAT LAND BACK INTO WIYOT HANDS AT THE END OF THE 30-YEAR LIFE SPAN OR WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE.

THAT'S SACRED GROUND.

IT'S AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISTRICT WITH ARCHAELOGICAL SITES.

ALL OF THE PAPERWORK WAS NEVER FILED BECAUSE OF THE FEAR OF DIGGING AND COMING IN AND DISTURBING SITES AND ALL THAT, BUT IT'S STILL WELL KNOWN AS SACRED SITES MUCH LIKE THE BALD HILLS UP IN NORTHERN HUMBOLDT WHICH I ACTUALLY HAD A HAND IN FILING THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL PAPERS ON THOSE AREAS BACK IN THE 1970'S TO PROTECT THEM.

EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT AN ARCHAEOLOGIST, YOU KNOW.

THE STATE ARCHAEOLOGIST FRANKLY JUST WASN'T DOING HIS JOB, SO WE HAD TO DO IT FOR HIM.

BUT OFFSHORE WIND, I'M HOPEFUL.

IT CERTAINLY FEELS LIKE A TRAIN COMING DOWN THE TRACKS WITH A HALF A BILLION INVESTMENT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE GOT A LOT OF TIME TO WORK ON WHAT ARE THE IMPACTS.

WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE OUR INVOLVEMENT WITH TRIBES.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> AND WITH THE FISHING COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER WE DO MINIMIZES WHATEVER IMPACTS MIGHT OCCUR.

THERE'S NO PERFECT WORLD, BUT I THINK WE CAN FIGURE THAT OUT AND WORK TOWARDS THAT.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THOSE JOBS GO LOCAL, BECAUSE WHEN YOU BRING IN A WORKFORCE FROM OUT OF THE AREA, NOT ONLY DO WE NOT GET THOSE LOCAL JOBS, BUT THESE CAMPS ARE A WHOLE LOT OF MEN COMING FROM OUT OF THE AREA.

IT'S WELL KNOWN THEY THEN SEEK OUT THESE OTHER SERVICES, AND I WON'T NAME THESE OTHER SERVICES, BUT OLD TOWN IS FAMOUS FOR IT IN THE PAST AND ET CETERA.

AND THERE'S REALLY A BIG MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS POPULATION PROBLEM IN OUR AREA AND WE DON'T WANT TO MAKE THAT WORSE.

IN FACT, WE NEED TO BE WORKING TO MAKE THAT BETTER AND TO STOP HAVING THESE HORRIBLE THINGS GO ON.

SO THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES THAT ARE BEING BROUGHT UP BY THE FISHING COMMUNITY AND BY THE TRIBAL GROUPS.

AND I THINK WE'RE DOING BETTER AT ENGAGING THIS TIME AROUND THAN WE DID.

AND I'M HOPEFUL FOR THAT.

A LOT OF WORK TO DO IN THAT ARENA, BUT GOSH, I MEAN, TO GET OFF OF THAT FRACKED NATURAL GAS, YOU KNOW, BUT WE ALSO NEED TO HAVE SOLAR ON EVERY ROOF IF IT HAS GOOD SOLAR ACCESS.

I WISH WE WOULD SEE A HALF BILLION-DOLLAR INVESTMENT IN PUTTING SOLAR ON EVERYONE'S ROOFS AND THEN GO DO SOME WIND POWER.

BUT I'M NOT PRESIDENT, RIGHT?

>> EXACTLY, RIGHT.

>> BUT WE CAN STILL DO BOTH.

I THINK WE CAN STILL GO BACK TO INCREASING THE INCENTIVES FOR SOLAR, BECAUSE WHEN THEY WERE LARGE, EVERYBODY WAS DOING IT, BUT NOW THEY'VE GOTTEN LESS, IT'S A LITTLE BIT -- THE EQUATION DOESN'T PAN OUT QUITE AS WELL.

SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO IN HOME-BASED SOLAR AND MICROGRIDS.

THERE'S A LOT OF COMMUNITIES THAT COULD REALLY USE MICROGRIDS TO HELP RUN THEIR SEWAGE AND WATER SYSTEMS WHEN THE ELECTRICITY GOES OUT.

SO A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY FOR SOLAR AND WIND AND I HOPE WE CAN DO IT RIGHT.

>> LAST QUESTION BEFORE I'M GOING TO LET YOU GO.

ONE THING THAT YOU MENTIONED REPEATEDLY IS OUR COUNTY'S RELATIONSHIP WITH NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES.

AND THEY IN A LOT OF WAYS HAVE BEEN LEADING SOME OF THESE EFFORTS AND THEY'VE BEEN ON THE RIGHT SIDE THROUGHOUT HISTORY WHERE THE GREATER POLITICAL MACHINE IS ONLY NOW MANAGE TO REALIZE, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, FIRE MANAGEMENT.

THAT WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD DO BEFORE, BUT NOW THEY'RE TRAINING ACTUALLY CDF FORESTERS ON HOW TO DO IT BECAUSE THOSE METHODS WORKED.

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE ADVANTAGES THAT HAVING SUCH A LARGE AND VIBRANT NATIVE AMERICAN POPULATION IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY CONFERS UPON US AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS A COMMUNITY SEEKING TO LEAD OTHER RURAL COMMUNITIES?

>> WELL, AS I SAID EARLY ON, THEY PRACTICED SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS YEARS.

AND THAT WASN'T JUST BY CHANCE.

THAT WAS IN THEIR RELIGION AND THEIR PRACTICES AND THEIR DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITIES.

SO I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE'RE FINALLY LEARNING FROM THOSE EXAMPLES, BUT AS YOU SAID ALSO, FIRE MANAGEMENT.

THE LAST TWO SUMMERS, WE'VE HAD WHAT WE CALL THE LIGHTNING COMPLEXES OUT IN WILLOW CREEK, TWO YEARS AGO AND LAST SUMMER OUT BY ORLEANS.

AND WE WERE SO LUCKY WITH THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, BECAUSE NORMALLY IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, WE CAN GET THESE DRY EASTERLY WINDS WHICH I CALL THE KLAMTANAS, AND THE WINDS BLOW DOWN THROUGH THE KLAMATH TOWARDS KLAM BEACH OR OFFSHORE.

I GREW UP IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WHERE WE CALLED THEM THE SANTA ANA WINDS.

THE NATIVE PEOPLE CALLED THEM DEVIL WINDS OR SATAN WINDS.

WHEN THE WINDS BLOW, IT DROPS THE HUMIDITY DOWN TO 10% AND WE'VE GOT 50, 60-MILE AN HOUR EASTERLY WINDS AND THAT CAN TURN A FIRE INTO A RAGING CANOPY, OUT-OF-CONTROL, CATACLYSMIC EVENT THAT WILL EAT UP EVERYTHING IN ITS PATHWAY.

IT'LL RUN INTO TOWNS LIKE SANTA ROSA OR PARADISE OR WHATEVER.

AND SO THESE LAST TWO SUMMERS, WE WERE REALLY LUCKY WITH THE WEATHER IN THAT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

WE HAD STRONG INVERSIONS MUCH OF THE SUMMER AND THE NATIVE PEOPLE WILL TELL YOU THEY ACTUALLY ENHANCED A LOT OF THE FIRE BURNING FOR A LOT OF REASONS.

ONE WAS MAINTAINING OPEN HABITAT AND REDUCING CATACLYSMIC FIRE BY BURNING ON A REGULAR BASIS, BUT ALSO IT PROVIDED A LAYER THAT COOLED THE RIVERS IN THE HEAT OF THE SUMMER WHICH WAS GOOD FOR THE SALMON.

SO THIS LAST TWO SUMMERS, THE CAL FIRE THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR SRA OR STATE RESPONSIBILITY AREAS WORKED HAND IN HAND WITH THE FOREST SERVICE AND THEY WERE ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY BURN OVER 30,000 ACRES LAST SUMMER AND THE SUMMER BEFORE I THINK, LIKE, 15,000 ACRES WITH LOW-INTENSITY BURNS THAT BASICALLY JUST RAN ALONG THE GROUND BURNING UP THE FINE FUELS, MUCH OF WHICH HAD BEEN LAID ON THE GROUND FROM THE BIG WIND AND SNOWSTORMS A COUPLE WINTERS AGO THAT THEY CALLED SNOWMAGGEDON.

IT'S REALLY NEAT TO SEE THOSE AGENCIES TAKE THE ADVICE OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS LIKE THE KLAMATH WATERSHIP COUNCIL, THE KARUK TRIBE, AND OTHERS UP IN THAT ORLEANS AREA AND WORKING TO PUT FIRE ON THE GROUND IN A POSITIVE WAY.

AND TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY WHERE, YOU KNOW, IN THE PAST, A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK WE NEED TO JUST SQUASH THOSE FIRES IMMEDIATELY, YOU KNOW.

PUT 'EM OUT IMMEDIATELY.

BUT WHEN WE DO THAT, THE FUELS BUILD UP EVEN MORE.

AND THE CHANCES FOR CATACLYSMIC FIRE ARE GREATER AND THE CHANCES OF LOSING FOREST FIREFIGHTER PERSONNEL IS FAR GREATER AS WELL.

I WILL SAY IT'S BEEN GREAT TO SEE THE EVOLUTION OF THESE PRACTICES AND THE WILLINGNESS ON THE PART OF THE STATE AND FEDERAL FIRE AGENCIES TO REALLY WORK TOGETHER WITH THEIR COMMUNITIES AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES SAFER.

>> THANKS FOR JOINING US, AND WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT WEEK.

STAY TUNED, STAY INFORMED.

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