Conference Organized by PERC
Klamath Falls, Oregon
June 8, 2004
Summary
The Klamath Basin conflict between endangered fish and farmers stems from a failure to establish who actually owns the water. The establishment and clarification of ownership rights may help resolve matters. The Property and Environment Research Center hosted a June 8 conference in Klamath Falls to address these issues.
I . Solutions for the Klamath Basin
by Jane S. Shaw
We used to hear the expression Let George do it to describe the very human tendency to leave the solution of a problem to someone else. Today, we tend to let the federal government be George. ... But decades of government intervention have shown that the federal government isnt up to the task.
Read the complete article -- PDF
II. Property Rights for Klamath Water
by James L. Huffman, J.D.
The problem we face in the Klamath Basin,
as in every environmental controversy, is
the allocation of scarce resources. We have a
limited supply of water, but potential uses for
that water exceed the available supply. This
issue is crucial not only for those associated
with the Basin, but also for the world at large.
Read complete article -- PDF
Founded 30 years ago in Bozeman, Montana, PERC—the Property and Environment Research Center—is the nation’s oldest and largest institute dedicated to improving environmental quality through property rights and markets.
PERC’s publications, each designed to resonate with specific groups, move ideas generated at PERC to broader audiences.
Research is at the heart of PERC's work, with a focus on the question: What is the link between economic growth and environmental quality?
The goal of PERC’s programs is to fully realize the vision of establishing “PERC University,” where scholars, students, policy makers, and others convene to expand the applications of free market environmentalism.
PERC's fellowships share a common goal of exposing new scholars, students, journalists, and policy makers to free market environmentalism, as well as enable scholars already familiar with FME to explore new applications.
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