Spring 2002 Issue

 News    Council Quarterly    Spring 2002 

 Articles

Energy Trust will pursue conservation, renewables in Oregon

Council decisions for 2001 and 2002

New technologies in lighting

Council seeking comment on Fifth Power Plan

Self-powered: is distributed generation in our energy future?

Federal agencies propose to boost spending on salmon recovery

Conservation investments today could moderate economic impacts of volatile power prices tomorrow

Subbasin Planning update

John Hines appointed new Montana Council member

Success stories: Pend Oreille River

Calendar

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Federal Agencies Propose to Boost Spending on Salmon Recovery

The Bush Administration's proposed federal budget for Fiscal Year 2003 includes nearly $220 million in annual appropriations to federal agencies for Columbia River Basin salmon recovery, a 19 percent increase over the current year if the budget is approved. At the same time, the Bonneville Power Administration proposes to spend about $287 million in electricity ratepayer funds in Fiscal Year 2003 to protect, mitigate and enhance fish and wildlife affected by hydropower dams in the Columbia River Basin. That figure would represent about a 13 percent increase over expenditures in 2002, according to Bonneville. See detailed budget.

"This is a vote of confidence that we are moving in the right direction with the Northwest's salmon recovery efforts," said Steve Wright, administrator for the Bonneville Power Administration, in a news release issued by federal agencies involved in salmon recovery. "We look forward to building on our progress along with our partners throughout the Northwest."

Also commenting on the proposed federal budget, Bob Lohn, regional director of the National Marine Fisheries Service, said, "This administration is serious about protecting the environment, and that commitment is reflected in this budget proposal. There will be significantly more money for salmon restoration in the Columbia River, for research and monitoring in the Columbia Basin, for habitat improvement, including the estuary, and for restoring streamflows."

Federal efforts in the Columbia Basin focus on finding better ways to move juvenile fish past a series of hydroelectric dams, improving the habitat for listed species and collaborating with states, tribes and other regional partners on restoration strategies and activities.

The funding for the National Marine Fisheries Service includes $12 million for additional scientific work, monitoring and evaluation to implement the 2000 Columbia River and Lower Snake River biological opinion on hydropower operations.

Bill McDonald, regional director of the Bureau of Reclamation, said most of the $4 million increase requested for Reclamation will be used for planning habitat improvement measures in partnership with private landowners and local watershed councils. Included in the budget are funds to continue Reclamation's water acquisition activity, which purchases water from willing sellers in accordance with state law. This water is used to augment flows for migrating salmon and is an important part of the recovery effort, according to Fisheries Service biologists.

Brig. Gen. David A. Fastabend, Northwestern Division commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said the proposed federal budget includes $128 million to improve fish passage at Snake and Columbia river federal dams and to help restore the Columbia River estuary. He said the budget request "underscores our commitment to regional salmon conservation efforts." According to Fisheries Service research, passage improvements at the federal dams have benefited fish, as survival of inriver-migrating Snake River juvenile chinook salmon has improved substantially in recent years.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will dedicate the additional $3.7 million in the administration's budget request to enhancing river flows and fish passage, restoring instream habitat and improving national fish hatcheries? contributions toward salmon recovery. Regional Director Anne Badgley said the proposed budget "speaks volumes about the administration's dedication to restoring salmon populations in the basin."

Other federal agencies are also participating in salmonid restoration. "EPA is firmly committed to continue working toward improving water quality, which is an essential aspect of salmon recovery," said John Iani, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regional administrator. Elaine Zielinski, Oregon/Washington state director of the Bureau of Land Management, commented that "the land managing agencies have extensive work underway to improve salmonid habitat in the Columbia Basin, from strategies to enhance streamside vegetation to collaboration on recovery actions with states, local governments, tribes and our other watershed partners."

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