Media Summary
Contact Carol Winkel
for more information. Also see archive.
Overview for October 2003 through February 4, 2004
Media coverage of the Council from October 1 through February 4 focused
on the Council's comprehensive review of Columbia River Basin hatchery
programs; summer spill; and subbasin planning.
OCTOBER 1
Bonner Soil Discusses Grants--The Newport Miner, Newport, WA
Meeting notice mentions the Council: "The board will discuss
the current status of three grants, including those from Waterlife, the
Northwest Power Planning Council and Pack TAC."
OCTOBER 3
Rising Power Costs a Concern for Agriculture--The Capital Press,
Salem, OR
Story on the effect of higher energy rates on the agriculture
industry. Quotes Council staff: "Wherever Bonneville
decides to go, it won't be the same place it did when the agency could
supply the region's entire electricity requirement, said Northwest Power
and Conservation Council spokesman John Harrison."
OCTOBER 16
Hatcheries May Pose Risk to Wild Fish--The
Oregonian, Portland, OR
Story on the Council's review of hatchery programs: "The
report, one of the first-ever attempts to take stock of the entire
Columbia Basin and performed at the request of Congress, was released as a
draft this week by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, an agency
representing the governors of Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana."
OCTOBER 17
Organizations to Share Plans--The Capital Press, Salem, OR
Deschutes Subbasin planning meeting notice. Mentions the
Council: "The planning process, as prescribed by the Northwest
Power and Conservation Council (formerly Northwest Power Planning Council)
will create a scientifically based strategic plan that identifies
objectives for the subbasin, defines the problems, and prioritizes the
solutions."
Club News--The Valley Herald, Milton-Freewater, OR
Report on a Rotary meeting. Mentions a presentation by Council
member Melinda Eden: "Program Chairman, Sam Tucker introduced
Melinda Eden, a member of the Pacific Northwest Regional Power and
Conservation Council."
Going With The Flow--The Capital Press, Salem, OR
Story on cooperative efforts to protect threatened fish and irrigated
agriculture in the Manastash watershed in Eastern Washington.
Mentions the Council: "According to a water supply analysis
done for the Northwest Power Planning Council, if adequate instream flows
and fish passage were provided and streamside habitat were fully restored,
Manastash Creek would be able to produce up to 23,585 steelhead smolts and
74,900 spring chinook smolts."
River Cooling Research Project Could Help Farmers, Protect Fish--The
Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA
Story on a Council fish and wildlife project: "Their work is
part of the Echo Meadows River Cooling Project, which may ultimately lead
to cooler temperatures and higher levels of water in the Umatilla River
during the heat of summer. It is paid for by the Bonneville Power
Administration and the Northwest Power Planning and Conservation
Council."
OCTOBER 21
Hatchery Review Seeks Priority Change--The Lewiston Tribune,
Lewiston, ID
Story on the Council's review of hatchery programs in the Columbia River
Basin: "The goal of the review is to guide Congress when it
makes decisions about hatchery funding and policy."
OCTOBER 22
Keep Salmon Runs Just as They Are--The News Times, Newport, OR
Editorial on the Council's review of Columbia River Basin
hatcheries: "Salmon is a complicated issue federally, but it's
a sustainable, made-for-Oregon industry. Let's keep it that
way." Also appears in The Springfield News, Springfield, OR.
OCTOBER 29
Cattlemen Focus on Trade, Land Use--The Statesman Examiner,
Colville, WA
Story on the Washington Cattlemen's Association annual convention.
Mentions Council member Larry Cassidy: "Larry Cassidy, chairman
of the Northwest Power Planning Council and a member of the WCA, spoke to
cattlemen on the necessity of salmon restoration without prohibitive land
use restrictions."
NOVEMBER 7
Dam Breaching Isn't the Answer--The Post Falls Press, Post Falls, ID
Op ed against
breaching four dams on the lower Snake River. Mentions the
Council: "According to the Northwest Power and Conservation
Council, about $30 million worth of water is spilled over federal dams to
produce five more wild adult Snake River fall chinook salmon."
NOVEMBER 9
Vancouver Man to Lead Panel on Salmon--The
Columbian, Vancouver, WA
Story on the election of Council member Larry Cassidy to chair the
international Pacific Salmon Commission: "Cassidy, who still
serves as one of two Washington representatives to the four-state
Northwest Power and Conservation Council, credited the policies and
findings laid out by the Pacific Salmon Commission as a major factor in
the strong returns of Columbia Basin salmon in recent years."
NOVEMBER 12
Umatilla-Willow Subbasin Plan to be Discussed--The Gazette Times,
Heppner, OR
Meeting notice for the Umatilla-Willow Subbasin. Mentions the
Council: "Currently, the NWPCC is emphasizing the development
of local subbasin plans to guide project funding."
NOVEMBER 13
River Basin Habitat Planning Meeting Scheduled in Okanogan--Brewster
Quad-City Herald, Brewster, WA
Announcement inviting Okanogan County residents to attend a subbasin
planning meeting. Mentions the Council: "The Northwest
Power and Conservation Council sponsors the effort; the council has
allocated $186 million each year for the next four years for wildlife
recovery, including but not limited to various salmon species."
NOVEMBER 20
Questions Surround Controversial Fish Proposal--The
Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA
Story on the proposal to curtail summer spill. Mentions the
Council: "An analysis this year by the Northwest Power and
Conservation Council--assigned to balance the needs of fish and power
generation in the region--indicated spill programs in August under average
water conditions increase survival by about five fish listed under the
Endangered Species Act."
NOVEMBER 21
Power Plant's Plug Pulled--The News Tribune, Tacoma, WA
Story on Puget Sound Energy's plan to close its power plant at Lake Tapps.
Quotes Council staff: "The plant produces an average of 35
megawatts of power a day, but that isn't all that much, and the region's
awash in electrical power sources right now anyway, said Dick Watson of
the Northwest Power and Conservation Council."
DECEMBER 11
Dam Spillway Practice Wastes Money, Federal Officials Say--The
Columbian, Vancouver, WA
Story on the debate over summer spill. Quotes Council member Larry
Cassidy: "Summer spill is expensive, Cassidy acknowledged, but
the council needs more information before doing away with it."
DECEMBER 12
Fish Official Backs Curbs on Spills--The
Columbian, Vancouver, WA
Story on NOAA Fisheries Regional Administrator Bob Lohn's indication that
as long as dam managers show they can offset the loss of endangered smolts
with other fish-saving measures, spill reductions would be
permissible. Mentions the Council: "[Utility
representatives] point to a recent calculation by Northwest Power and
Conservation Council analyst Bruce Suzumoto, who found that spilling water
in the summer may improve annual adult returns of endangered Snake River
fall chinook by as few as 15 fish."
DECEMBER 13
Keep Spilling--The Columbian,
Vancouver, WA
Editorial supporting the continuation of summer spill. Mentions the
Council: "But we are also concerned that the council has
endorsed experiments in curtailing summer spillwater--which helps prevent
young fish from being chowdered in turbines, thereby increasing adult
returns--based on inadequate analysis and short-sighted thinking."
DECEMBER 22
Dam Fish-Spill Issue Taken to the Top--The
Columbian, Vancouver, WA
Story on a letter to President Bush from conservation and fishing groups
seeking to block plans by the Bonneville Power Administration to reduce
summer spill. Mentions the Council: "The letter claimed
spill curtailments could reduce returns of all Columbia stocks by 10,000
fish annually, not just the 15 endangered Snake River fall chinook
calculated by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council."
JANUARY 7
Subbasin Plans Developed--The Skamania County Pioneer, Stevenson, WA
Story on the subbasin planning effort for the Klickitat and White Salmon
rivers, and the lower middle mainstem of the Columbia River:
"Subbasin plans are being prepared by local teams in all watersheds
of the Columbia River in Washington State."
JANUARY 11
Progress Stalls on Hatchery Near Imnaha--The East Oregonian,
Pendleton, OR
Story on objections by the U.S. Forest Service to a fish hatchery project
planned on the Imnaha River. Mentions the Council: "The
Northwest Power Planning Council is scheduled to make a decision on the
hatcheries project in May." Also appears in The Hells Canyon
Journal, Halfway, OR.
JANUARY 16
Rebel PUDs Should Not Deny Energy Cut--The
Seattle Times, WA
Editorial in support of the proposed settlement of the lawsuit between
public utilities and the Bonneville Power Administration. Mentions
the Council: "The proposed settlement is a sure thing that
boasts the support of the governors and the federal congressional
delegations of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana, and the Northwest
Power Planning Council."
JANUARY 18
Natural Gas Supply, Price Top Energy Issues--The
Columbian, Vancouver, WA
Forecast on the 2004 energy outlook by Council staffer, Terry
Morlan: "The next several years are expected to be difficult
for the natural gas industry, with prices extremely sensitive to changes
in weather, storms in the Gulf of Mexico, natural gas storage levels, and
other factors."
Watershed Council Reviews Attributes of Subbasin Blueprint--The
Daily Argus Observer, Ontario, OR
Story on the Malheur Subbasin plan. Mentions the Council:
"The water assessments are conducted under the direction of the
Northwest Power and Conservation Council, the agency which will review the
applications for funding of proposed projects."
JANUARY 19
Tribe Seeks Fisheries Enforcement Funding--The
Spokesman Review, Spokane, WA
Story on the funding request to Congress and the Bonneville Power
Administration by the Nez Perce for their enforcement program.
Mentions the Council: "[David] Johnson said the tribe would ask
the Northwest Power and Conservation Council Tuesday to provide interim
funding."
JANUARY 21
Debate Sharpens After Economists Take Cost-Effective Look at
Spilling Dam Water--The Chinook Observer, Long Beach, WA
Story on a draft report by the Independent Economic Analysis Board on how
cost effectiveness analysis can be used to identify actions that may
benefit both fish and ratepayers: "Using an updated salmon
passage model, the independent panel of economists that works under the
Northwest Power and Conservation Council says there are better and cheaper
ways to get fish past dams than by spilling water."
JANUARY 26
Power Council Chair Elected--The Herald and News, Klamath Falls, OR
AP story on the election of Judi Danielson as chair: "Former
Idaho lawmaker Judi Danielson has been re-elected chairwoman of the
Northwest Power and Conservation Council." Also appears in The
King County Journal, Kent, WA; The Register Guard, Eugene, OR; The
Lewiston Tribune, Lewiston, ID; The Daily Journal of Commerce, Portland,
OR; The Union-Bulletin, Walla Walla, WA; and The Morning News, Blackfoot,
ID.
JANUARY 27
Bush Aide Touts Salmon Success--The
Columbian, Vancouver, WA
Story on the visit by James Connaughton, President Bush's chief
environmental advisor, to Bonneville Dam. Mentions the
Council: "Conservation groups point out that reducing
summertime spill could slash returns of all Columbia stocks by 10,000 fish
annually, not just the 15 endangered Snake River fall chinook calculated
recently by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council."
JANUARY 29
Safe Spill Levels Detailed--The
Tri-City Herald, Kennewick, WA
Story on an analysis by federal agencies that determined summer spill can
be curtailed at federal dams on the Snake and Columbia rivers without
harming fish. Mentions the Council: "The order of
magnitude is not substantially different from a separate analysis
performed by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council last year.
Its calculations suggested continuing the summer spill program would cost
$7.6 million per listed fish."
FEBRUARY 3
Officials to Explain Plans for Columbia River Subbasins--The
Wenatchee World, Wenatchee, WA
Brief notice on subbasin planning meeting: "Planning by the
Northwest Power and Conservation Comission affects the Lake Rufus Woods
and upper Columbia River subbasins between Wanapum Dam and Grand Coulee
Dam."
FEBRUARY 4
John Day Subbasin--The Wheeler County News, Spray, OR
Brief notice on subbasin planning for the John Day Subbasin:
"The NW Power Council gives funds to BPA to distribute to worthy
projects, and the Power Council wanted one set of subbasin plans across
all four states with one format showing all the work done, as well as
future work plans."
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Media Summary