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Media Summary
Contact Carol Winkel
for more information. Also see archive.
Overview for May 2 - July 18, 2002
Two stories that received extensive coverage in the media were the
costs of hatchery fish and the changes proposed by Oregon Governor John
Kitzhaber to the Council's bylaws. The changes would rotate the
chairmanship to each state every two years and emphasize the involvement
of tribes in the Council's decision making.
MAY 2
NMFS Sets Targets for Salmon Recovery--The Wahkiakum Co. Eagle,
Cathlamet, WA
Story on the National Marine Fisheries Service's release of
"productivity targets"--the number of Columbia River salmon and
steelhead they would like to see return to spawn each year. Mentions
the Council: "While NMFS insists the numbers are interim and
could be changed, the Northwest Power Planning Council is already using
them as planning targets as it seeks to balance salmon recovery with the
region's electricity needs."
MAY 5
Lake Level Key to Kokanee Survival, Groups Say--The Press, Coeur
D'Alene, ID
Story on the disagreements over the level of Lake Pend Oreille and how it
affects kokanee. Mentions the Council: "After decades of
debate, the Northwest Power Planning Council approved a multi-year study
of the higher winter lake level beginning in 1996."
MAY 6
NW Power Plant Plans on Hold or Dropped--The
Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA
Story on the changes in plans for a number of proposed plants.
Quotes Council staff: "'It's kind of unusual a developer will
announce they're canceling a project,' said Jeff King, a resource analyst
for the Northwest Power Planning Council, which tracks the region's energy
needs." Also appears in The Yakima Herald-Republic, Yakima, WA;
The Daily Journal of Commerce, Seattle, WA; The Olympian, Olympia, WA; The
Columbian, Vancouver, WA; The Observer, La Grande, OR; The Idaho
Press-Tribune, Caldwell, ID; The Wenatchee World, Wenatchee, WA; and The
Daily Journal of Commerce, Portland, OR.
MAY 7
NMFS Praised for Fish Planning--The
Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA
Story on NMFS Regional Administrator Bob Lohn's message on fish recovery
plans to Washington legislators. Mentions the Council:
"The Northwest division of the National Marine Fisheries Service and
the Northwest Power Planning Council are organizing a regional planning
process that in Washington will be run through three boards of area
stakeholders."
MAY 8
MVID Agreement Sets Up Rehab Plan, Methow Valley News, Twisp, WA
Story on the Methow Valley Irrigation District's agreement with NMFS,
Bonneville, the Yakama Nation, and the Washington Department of Ecology to
make the district more efficient. Mentions the Council:
"The Northwest Power Planning Council is expected to consider the
proposed $4.5 million rehabilitation project for funding later this
month."
MAY 12
Area Utilities Want a 'Slice' of Bonneville--The
Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA
Story on a proposed plan endorsed by the Northwest's utilities that would
require all but the smallest utilities to be responsible for managing
their own electricity needs. Quotes Council member Tom Karier:
"Tom Karier, a Washington representative on the Northwest Power
Planning Council, said stresses created by record-high electricity prices
in 2000 and 2001 revealed the pitfalls of overreliance [sic] on
Bonneville."
Hatchery Salmon Prove Pricey--The
Sunday Oregonian, Portland, OR
Story on the cost of hatchery salmon and efforts to evaluate and improve
their operations. Mentions the Council: "The council,
composed of two governors' representatives each from Oregon, Idaho,
Washington and Montana, has started a year-long review of hatchery
policies and practices." Also appears in The Columbian,
Vancouver, WA; The Herald & News, Klamath Falls, OR; The Seattle
Times, Seattle, WA; The Seattle Post Intelligencer, Seattle, WA; The
Statesman Journal, Salem, OR; The Daily Astorian, Astoria, OR; The
Democrat Herald, Albany, OR; The News-Review, Roseburg, OR; The Bellingham
Herald, Bellingham, WA; The East Oregonian, Pendleton, OR; The Daily Argus
Observer, Ontario, OR; The Daily News, Moscow, ID; The World, Coos Bay,
OR; The Chronicle, Centralia, WA; The Mail Tribune, Medford, OR; The
Gazette-Times, Corvallis, OR; The Peninsula Daily News, Port Angeles, WA;
The Idaho Statesman, Boise, ID; The Lewiston Tribune, Lewiston, ID; and
The Daily Journal of Commerce, Seattle, WA.
MAY 14
Hatchery Costs--The Columbian,
Vancouver, WA
Editorial on the study of hatchery costs commissioned by the
Council: "The virtue of the power planning council's continuing
research is that we can all gain a better understanding of what we pay for
each delectable mouthful of pink flesh."
MAY 15
The True Cost of Salmon Recovery--The
Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle, WA
Editorial on the Council's study on hatchery costs. "Washington
bet heavily on hatcheries as a substitute for wild salmon; it has the
world's largest hatchery system with 100 in the Columbia Basin
alone. But there are no standard measures by which to judge their
success or failure, nor do they have measurable objectives. The
power council rightly is on track to remedy that."
MAY 16
Ohs Urges Power Council to Balance Water Demands--The Tribune, Great
Falls, MT
Story on Montana Lieutenant Governor Ohs's address to the Council:
"Addressing the panel Tuesday, Karl Ohs said the council must make
sure decisions are based on the latest and most sound science
available."
MAY 20
Salmon Creek Called Model of Compromise--The
Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA
Story on how irrigators and the Yakama tribe have worked cooperatively to
restore Salmon Creek. Mentions the Council: "The council
has approved $3.3 million in the past, with other money coming from the
federal Bureau of Reclamation, Natural Resources Conservation Service and
various state pools of money."
MAY 22
What You Really Pay for Salmon--Eat The State, Seattle, WA
Editorial on the Council's study on hatchery costs: "It's past
time to cut off the funds, turn off the tap, and close the
hatcheries..."
Frederickson Plant Nearly Ready to Power Up--The News Tribune,
Tacoma, WA
Story on the new plant and current power supply situation in which prices
are low. Quotes Council staff: "'We've sort of gone back
to where we were two years ago--and that's a concern,' said John Harrison,
spokesman for the Northwest Power Planning Council."
MAY 24
What's Water Worth?--The Capital Press, Salem, OR
Story on Bureau of Reclamation projects to commemorate the 100th
anniversary of the law that began the building of the reservoirs that
irrigate the West. Mentions the Council: "The NWPPC and
Bonneville Power Administration paid high prices to lease water for flow
augmentations in an effort to save salmon and steelhead."
MAY 28
Green Power Battles to Stay Afloat--The
Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA
Story on the challenges to sustain conservation programs while rates
remain high. Quotes Council staff: "'All of the utilities
are definitely feeling pressure,' said Dick Watson, power planning
director for the Northwest Power Planning Council, which tracks regional
energy needs."
MAY 31
Power Council Recommends Funding Fish Center--The Capital Press,
Salem, OR
AP story on the Council's request to Bonneville for funding of an new
regional fish science and education center in Idaho: "The
Center will support analytical and monitoring requirements that are
conditions of many projects funded through the council's Columbia River
Basin Fish and Wildlife Program."
JUNE 5
Power Council Bylaw Change is Rejected--The
Columbian, Vancouver, WA
Story on Oregon Gov. Kitzhaber's proposed changes to the bylaws to rotate
the chairmanship amongst the states and give greater deference to tribal
concerns in its decision making: "Northwest governors won't
support a suggestion by Oregon's governor to change the bylaws of the
Northwest Power Planning Council to give more weight to fish and tribal
concerns."
JUNE 6
Power Plays; Northwest system should serve as model--The
Columbian, Vancouver, WA
Editorial argues against formation of a regional transmission organization
calling it "a new layer of energy governance." Mentions
the Council: "How such an agency could do more or better than
the Bonneville Power Administration, the Northwest Power Planning Council
and nongovernmental associations of providers the federal regulators
cannot say."
JUNE 7
Willamette Watershed Groups Decry Lack of Funds--The Capital Press,
Salem, OR
Story on the challenges urban watershed organizations face. Mentions
the Council: "...as part of allocating Bonneville Power
Administration funding, the Northwest Power Planning Council is requiring
watershed councils to write basin plans and priorities."
JUNE 20
Farm Bureau Opposes River Research Station--The Gazette-Tribune,
Oroville, WA
Story on the Okanogan County Farm Bureau's opposition to Central
Washington University's proposed purchase of 1,671 acres of land in
Okanogan County. Mentions the Council: "The organization
opposed the project in a letter to [the] Northwest Power Planning Council
and asked that funding be denied."
JUNE 26
Council Wants More Oregon Involvement--The Bulletin, Bend, OR
Story on the Oregon Council members' position regarding the chairmanship
and consultation with tribal governments. Quotes Council member Eric
Bloch: "We don't have the relationship or contacts we should to
make sure our decisions are consistent with the rights of the Indian
tribes." Also appears in The Union-Bulletin, Walla Walla, WA;
The World, Coos Bay, OR; The Daily Argus Observer, Ontario, OR; and The
Lewiston Tribune, Lewiston, ID.
Issue of Fairness--The East Oregonian, Pendleton, OR
Editorial on the issue of rotating the chairmanship on the Council:
"...it's important that the council's own process is fair and above
board. Rotating chairmanships would be a great way to even the
playing field."
JUNE 28
Citizens Call Wind Farm Ugly--The Herald & News, Klamath Falls,
OR
AP story on reactions to wind turbines being built near Kennewick,
Washington. Quotes Council member Eric Bloch: "'Could
anyone think it's anything other than ugly?' asked Eric Bloch, an Oregon
member of the Northwest Power Planning Council, after driving past the
Stateline Wind Farm on his way to the Tri-Cities this week."
Appeared originally in The Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA; and appears in
The Sun, Bremerton, WA.
JUNE 30
Power Council Needs 2 Significant Changes--The
Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA
Editorial in support of Oregon Gov. Kitzhaber's proposed changes to the
Council's bylaws: "Neither of these requests is
unreasonable. Oregon is entitled to both."
JULY 6
Power Sharing--The Oregonian,
Portland, OR
Editorial on rotating the Council's chairmanship: "Rotating
leadership is a reasonable request. For the good of the interstate
compact, Oregon should have its turn in the chairman's seat."
New Day Dawning for Satsop Power--The Olympian, Olympia, WA
Story on a gas-fired power plant that is being built on a failed nuclear
power plant site. Mentions the Council: "Growth in energy
demand has ranged from 7 percent a year from 1950 to 1970 to 1.2 percent a
year during the 1990s, according to the Northwest Power Planning
Council."
JULY 8
Oh, By the Way, EPA--The
Seattle Times, Seattle, WA
Editorial on a federal judge's finding that the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency has failed to examine the effects of pesticides on
salmon. Mentions the Council: "A recent Northwest Power
Planning Council review of hatcheries found that each protected sockeye
salmon that returns to the Eagle Hatchery in Idaho costs about
$7,437.50."
JULY 14
Oregon Peeved; Kitzhaber peckish about power panel--The
Columbian, Vancouver, WA
Editorial on the dispute between Oregon's Council members and the rest of
the Council over the chairmanship and tribal involvement:
"Oregon could take its case to Congress. But that could attract
national attention and renew the old saw that the Pacific Northwest gets
more power cheaper than it ought. What Oregon should do instead is
get over the pique."
JULY 15
Oregon Governor Asks Power Council to Rotate Chairman--The
Columbian, Vancouver, WA
Story on the possibility that Oregon will leave the Council over Gov.
Kitzhaber's proposed changes to the bylaws: "If Kitzhaber's
proposals go nowhere, Oregon officials say he would consider pulling out
of the council."
Oregon May Withdraw from Council--KTVZ-TV Channel 21, Bend, OR
Newscaster: "Oregon may pull the plug on the Northwest Power
Planning Council. An Oregon representative on the four-state group
says withdrawing would prove a point..."
JULY 16
Oregon Considers Leaving Council--The
Democrat-Herald, Albany, OR
AP story on the bylaws controversy and Oregon's threat to leave the
Council: "Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber has proposed rotating the
chairmanship among the four Northwest states every two years to guarantee
equal distribution of power." Also appears in The Register
Guard, Eugene, OR.
Oregon may Pull Out of NWPPC--The Oregon Public Broadcasting Radio
Newscaster: "Oregon may pull out of the Northwest Power
Planning Council. Member Eric Bloch says a recent change in rules,
that deprived Oregon of its chance to chair the council, has left the
state without the influence it deserves."
JULY 18
NWPPC Won't Undo Rule Change--OPB Radio, Portland, OR
Newscaster: "The Northwest Power Planning Council says it will
not change how it elects a chairman. That could prompt Oregon to
withdraw from the four-state group which sets policy for power
availability and fish and wildlife protection."
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