The Senate on Thursday passed a spending bill that would authorize $2
billion in new borrowing by the Bonneville Power Administration.
The energy and water development appropriation bill for fiscal 2002 also
provides funds for ecosystem restoration, riparian protection, and fish mitigation on the Columbia River.
Fisheries managers asked hydroelectric operators this week to begin
drafting Lake Roosevelt water now to help raise river flows at McNary
Dam.
However, the Bonneville Power Administration said the change in river
operations may not be possible because it would force BPA to sell
surplus power now and buy power back later, something it may not be able
to do.
A surprisingly low July water supply forecast and the delayed startup of
the Northwest's only nuclear power plant caused the Bonneville Power
Administration to say no to summer spill at today's (June 29) combined
meeting of federal executives with states and tribes.
Columbia Basin tribes and conservation groups responded angrily this
week to a Northwest Power Planning Council recommendation that says that
water should be spilled for fish passage at federal hydroelectric
projects only if such operations don't increase the risk of power
outages in the region next winter.
Federal energy regulators this week for the first time adopted a
comprehensive solution to skyrocketing Western energy prices by imposing
temporary "soft caps" on wholesale electricity sales in 10 states.
The plan fell short of critics' demand for cost-of-service based rates
but appeared to halt for now a move to pass legislation in the Senate
that would require the agency to impose them ...
The clock began ticking today (June 22) on a process that will allow the
Bonneville Power Administration and its administrator better take a
"comprehensive, consistent and unified approach" toward its
responsibility to fund the multiple Columbia Basin fish and wildlife
recovery efforts.
Environmental groups have filed a motion to compel the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers to comply with a U.S. District Court order that the agency
must show how it will meet Clean Water Act standards when operating
lower Snake River dams.
The Bonneville Power Administration, the California Department of Water
Resources and the California Independent System Operator have reached
agreement on a plan that outlines when and how BPA may be able to help
California during this summer's anticipated energy shortages.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that federal
"biological opinions" sanctioning certain federal timber sales in the
Pacific Northwest did not adequately protect habitat for salmon stocks
listed under the Endangered Species Act.
Emergency measures including industrial power curtailments, reduced
water spills at dams and temporary generators are easing the Northwest's
electricity shortage, but the crisis is not over, according to the
latest analysis by the Northwest Power Planning Council.
Emergency measures including industrial power curtailments, reduced
water spills at dams and temporary generators are easing the Northwest's
electricity shortage, but the crisis is not over, according to the
latest analysis by the Northwest Power Planning Council.
Taking issue with President George Bush's agenda on many issues,
including energy and the environment, Sen. James Jeffords, R-Vt., on
Thursday quit the Republican Party, handing control of the Senate to
Democrats.
Taking issue with President George Bush's agenda on many issues,
including energy and the environment, Sen. James Jeffords, R-Vt., on
Thursday quit the Republican Party, handing control of the Senate to
Democrats.
An independent scientific panel this week urged regional entities to
learn as much as they can from this good news-bad news year for Columbia
Basin salmon recovery efforts.
The good news is that many of the basin's salmon stocks are returning
this year in larger, and sometimes record, numbers to spawn naturally or
revisit the hatchery of their origin.
The Bonneville Power Administration began spilling water at two lower
Columbia River dams this week to help juvenile salmon safely negotiate
the dams on their journey to the ocean.
The federal power marketing agency made the decision to begin spill
despite not having a final assurance from Grant County Public Utility
District that it could trade spill for power later in the spring and
summer.
The term "surplus hatchery fish" has, at least for this year, has been
erased from the Methow Basin salmon management dictionary following a
landmark agreement that focuses on the collection of local, naturally
spawning spring chinook to replenish hatchery egg banks and lets
unneeded hatchery stocks seek a spawning niche in the river's mainstem.
A bill that sponsors say would allow more hatchery salmon to spawn
naturally and require the state to use hatchery salmon eggs to replenish
fish runs was signed into law late Tuesday by Washington Gov. Gary Locke
over the protestations of the federal agency charged with protecting and
rebuilding "wild" salmon and steelhead runs.
In announcing his much anticipated energy plan, President George Bush on
Thursday did not propose short-term measures to address high electricity
prices and drought in the Northwest.
Two Oregon leaders are supporting a plan by Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, to
make Northwest salmon recovery a national priority and boost federal
funding by $400 million next year.
Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., this week gave his endorsement, and Gov. John
Kitzhaber praised the overall $688 million plan, which Crapo announced
on May 3.
A lawsuit filed Thursday asks the U.S. District Court to order the
federal government to rethink a Columbia Basin salmon recovery plan that
the plaintiffs say is rife with faulty scientific assumptions and doomed
to failure because of a lack of Bush Administration support for
implementation funding.
The Bonneville Power Administration said it intends to launch within
days a fish and wildlife project solicitation intended to "offset"
adverse impacts of emergency hydrosystem operations on salmon and
steelhead listed under the Endangered Species Act.
BPA officials have said that from $10 million to $20 million could be
made available for the effort.
President George Bush's first budget maintains current funding levels
for Pacific salmon recovery programs, but they are more than $400
million below the amount estimated to be needed to implement the
Columbia Basin salmon recovery plan.
In February, Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber asked Bush administration
officials for an increase of $566 million - $438 million in FY02 and
$128 million as a supplemental add-on in FY01.
President George Bush's first budget maintains current funding levels
for Pacific salmon recovery programs, but they are more than $400
million below the amount estimated to be needed to implement the
Columbia Basin salmon recovery plan.
In February, Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber asked Bush administration
officials for an increase of $566 million - $438 million in FY02 and
$128 million as a supplemental add-on in FY01.
President George Bush's first budget maintains current funding levels
for Pacific salmon recovery programs, but they are more than $400
million below the amount estimated to be needed to implement the
Columbia Basin salmon recovery plan.
In February, Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber asked Bush administration
officials for an increase of $566 million - $438 million in FY02 and
$128 million as a supplemental add-on in FY01.
A coalition of fishing and conservation groups on Thursday gave notice of their intent to file a series of lawsuits unless the federal agencies act immediately wring water from the upper Snake River to help migrating salmon in what is shaping up to be a drought year.
An Earthwise Knowledge Initiative Publication
