April 15, 2021 3:20 a.m.

On Wednesday, Governor Kate Brown issued a statement on the urgent need for relief for Oregonians in the Klamath Basin due to prolonged drought conditions.

In a release Brown said, “This year the Klamath Basin faces drought conditions that have not been seen in decades. Much of the American West faces similar, unprecedented drought. Prolonged drought creates hardships that impact people an ecosystems, farms, ranches and communities. My message to the people of the Klamath Basin today is this: You are not alone”.

Brown said she has spoken with Oregon’s congressional delegation and they are united in their pursuit of all avenues of relief for the Klamath Basin. She said they are coordinating with the White House, the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture to get help and relief where it is needed most.

Brown said work is underway to secure significant financial help for the irrigators who will be affected this year, as well as significant funding for water quality work in the region – including the water quality lab work for the Klamath Tribes. Brown said in addition to the executive order she signed declaring a drought disaster for 2021 in Klamath County, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture also declared a drought disaster for that county this year as well. That will afford loan opportunities for Klamath County and other neighboring counties.

Brown said she is confident that the Biden-Harris Administration fully recognizes the connections between climate change and chronic drought. Brown will work with the congressional delegation to engage the administration in pursuing resources, including American Rescue Plan funds, to relief the hardship in Klamath County, according to the release.