July 21, 2004

Kimberley, British Columbia — Representatives of Canadian and American water-use planning agencies met last week in Kimberley to discuss the creation of an international forum on Columbia River water issues.

Tentatively called the Columbia River Forum, its purpose would be to collect and assemble information and involve the public, elected officials and government agencies in discussions on improving watershed management in the entire Columbia River Basin.

The meeting in Kimberley on July 16 involved four members of the Board of Directors of the Columbia Basin Trust, four members of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, representatives of the BC government, and representatives of the Canadian consulate Seattle office. Also attending were Jim Abbott, member of Parliament for Kootenay/Columbia, and Bill Bennett, member of the Legislative Assembly for East Kootenay. Both men are from Cranbrook.

Following a lengthy and positive discussion, the CBT and Council agreed to continue pursuing the forum idea.

"The purpose of the meeting was to continue to increase transboundary cooperation and take steps toward facilitating a high level of political dialogue on Columbia Basin issues including the possible renewal of the Columbia River Treaty," said Josh Smienk, chair of the CBT. "We are not here to begin renegotiating the Treaty," he aid. "We are here to begin discussing issues related to water management in the Columbia Basin to ensure that the right issues for Columbia Basin residents will be on the table when and if the Treaty is renegotiated."

Melinda Eden, vice chair of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, said that while the Council as a whole had not addressed the forum, "I think it is an excellent idea. We need to bring leaders to the table who will make decisions in the future and educate them about Columbia River water management issues."

"There is so much good will on both sides of the border; the river is a shared resource," said Abbott. "The forum would provide an opportunity to discuss issues that are important to the people who live in the Columbia Basin and were affected by the construction and operation of the Treaty dams."

Bennett said that while the production of hydropower will remain paramount in the future of the Columbia River, "other values are on the table, as well. Our meeting is important to that effort." Abbott and Bennett proposed that educational institutions be invited to help collect and disseminate information that would be presented and discussed at forum meetings.

The Council, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, includes two members from each of the four Northwest states, appointed by the governors. The Council is responsible for developing a long-range electric energy plan for the Northwest and a companion program to mitigate the impacts of hydropower dams in the U.S. portion of the Columbia River Basin on fish and wildlife.

The Columbia Basin Trust is a corporation of the Province of British Columbia that was established by provincial legislation in 1995 to benefit the region most adversely affected by the Columbia River Treaty. Through an investment program, the CBT spends a portion of Canada's share of the additional hydropower generated as a result of the treaty to address the environmental, social and economic impacts of the treaty dam construction in British Columbia.