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American Morning

Oregon: Heated Battle Over Water Rights Continues

Aired August 30, 2001 - 11:03   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: In Southern Oregon, a heated battle over water rights is showing no signs of cooling down. Once again, protesters are venting their anger at the federal government over the closure of some headgates at the Klamath Falls irrigation project. The move was made to protect some endangered fish, but farmers say that they are suffering because of it.

The latest now from reporter Vince Patton. He's with our affiliate KGW.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VINCE PATTON, KGW REPORTER (voice-over): The farmers called their small ladder the "12 steps to freedom."

FARMERS: All right!

(CHEERING)

PATTON: With it, they climbed the fence to the headgates.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A tiny step for freedom, but it's a start!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm excited. My mother-in-law is over here with me! I'm so proud of her!

PATTON: They're convinced that 100-year-old legal documents prove that canals were to be returned to private ownership years ago, after they were built and paid for.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's our property. They are trespassing right now on our property.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once you see what's going on over here and everything is going all right, I think it's a good idea to be over here.

PATTON: The Bureau of Land Management stood firm at the canal, but relented and unlocked the gates others had scaled.

(CHEERING)

FARMERS: We want Tim! We want Tim!

PATTON: Sheriff Tim Evinger, Klamath County's only elected official to brave this throng, walked into a hero's welcome.

(CHEERING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: God bliss you, Tim. You are doing the right thing, man.

PATTON: The sheriff says he came to show support.

TIM EVINGER, KLAMATH COUNTY SHERIFF: Just keeping it peaceful here, right?

PATTON: And he says if the protesters prove their landownership claim in court, he will gladly evict the federal agents.

EVINGER: As long as everybody is peaceful and nobody gets in pushing or shoving matches or any threat to public safety, again, it looks like another successful disobedience.

PATTON (on camera): And so the farmers have gained 30 yards and established a new boundary against the very edge of the headgates. The question is: How long it will last?

In Klamath Falls, Vince Patton, KGW, Northwest NewsChannel 8.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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