Implementation of a Snake River fall chinook "transportation" study in 2008, and beyond, edged closer to certainty with eggs now in hand to produce the needed juvenile fish and most other related issues resolved.
The Bonneville Power Administration is proposing interim payments totaling $322 million to Northwest public and investor-owned utilities while the agency continues to work with the region to establish a long-term Residential Exchange Program.
Despite grim warnings issued prior to a Wednesday in-court status conference, U.S. District Court Judge James A. Redden expressed hope that an ongoing collaboration and due diligence by the federal agencies in exploring its options can produce a legally and scientifically defensible Columbia Basin salmon protection plan.
Attorneys representing Columbia River basin tribes and states, and other interests told a U.S. District Court judge Wednesday that a collaboration with federal agencies went well in many regards in developing future protections for threatened salmon and steelhead that ply the river's hydro system.
The Northwest Power and Conservation Council on Thursday signaled its support for the recently released draft biological opinions for the federal Columbia/Snake hydro system and upper Snake irrigation projects, and offered help in implementing the plans for resurrecting threatened salmon and steelhead stocks.
After witnessing relatively high, though steadily declining, spring chinook salmon returns to the Columbia River basin over the past eight years, fishery experts have high hopes and estimates for 2008.
An appeal filed Thursday seeks to overturn a U.S. District Court ruling that rejected the federal government's decision to leave Oregon coast coho salmon off the Endangered Species Act list.
Despite grim warnings issued prior to a Wednesday in-court status conference, U.S. District Court Judge James A. Redden expressed hope that an ongoing collaboration and due diligence by the federal agencies in exploring its options can produce a legally and scientifically defensible Columbia Basin salmon protection plan.
Attorneys representing Columbia River basin tribes and states, and other interests told a U.S. District Court judge Wednesday that a collaboration with federal agencies went well in many regards in developing future protections for threatened salmon and steelhead that ply the river's hydro system.
The Northwest Power and Conservation Council on Thursday signaled its support for the recently released draft biological opinions for the federal Columbia/Snake hydro system and upper Snake irrigation projects, and offered help in implementing the plans for resurrecting threatened salmon and steelhead stocks.
After witnessing relatively high, though steadily declining, spring chinook salmon returns to the Columbia River basin over the past eight years, fishery experts have high hopes and estimates for 2008.
An appeal filed Thursday seeks to overturn a U.S. District Court ruling that rejected the federal government's decision to leave Oregon coast coho salmon off the Endangered Species Act list.
There will be much to talk about in court next week, and much to fix before a draft NOAA Fisheries' biological opinion on the federal Columbia/Snake hydro system goes final, according to comments filed in U.S. District Court Friday (Nov. 30) by the state of Oregon, Columbia Basin tribes and the plaintiffs in the long-running lawsuit.
A new management plan designed to rebuild the state's wild steelhead populations is unlikely to have an adverse environmental impacts, according to a preliminary environmental impact statement released this week by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The Washington Department of Ecology Thursday announced a preliminary agreement with Alcoa over cleanup goals that the company will achieve when removing polluted sediments from the Columbia River next fall.
There will be much to talk about in court next week, and much to fix before a draft NOAA Fisheries' biological opinion on the federal Columbia/Snake hydro system goes final, according to comments filed in U.S. District Court Friday (Nov. 30) by the state of Oregon, Columbia Basin tribes and the plaintiffs in the long-running lawsuit.
A new management plan designed to rebuild the state's wild steelhead populations is unlikely to have an adverse environmental impacts, according to a preliminary environmental impact statement released this week by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The Washington Department of Ecology Thursday announced a preliminary agreement with Alcoa over cleanup goals that the company will achieve when removing polluted sediments from the Columbia River next fall.
The Endangered Species Act "compels" the NOAA Fisheries Service to consider hatchery stocks in deciding whether a particular salmon or steelhead species deserves federal protections.
The Endangered Species Act "compels" the NOAA Fisheries Service to consider hatchery stocks in deciding whether a particular salmon or steelhead species deserves federal protections.
Many of the details have been worked out, but funding and scope issues remain to be settled before a long-sought study can be launched to determine the best path to the ocean -- transportation aboard barges or in-river -- for migrating juvenile Snake River fall chinook salmon.
Participants in long-running litigation will meet in federal court Dec. 12 to discuss "issues" arising from the latest federal plan for protecting for Columbia River basin salmon and steelhead that are listed under the Endangered Species Act.
Federal officials this week said that a better scientific understanding of the fish and their needs, and an infusion of resources to meet those needs over the next 10 years, will lift 13 threatened or endangered Columbia River Basin salmon and steelhead stocks toward recovery.
Initial impressions this week of a "draft" federal Columbia River Basin salmon protection strategy ranged from sharp criticisms of the tome, to praise, to "wait and see" attitudes.
NOAA Fisheries Service today released two draft biological opinions which determine that federal Columbia/Snake River hydropower and irrigation projects do not jeopardize the survival of 13 salmon and steelhead stocks that are listed under the Endangered Species Act.
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