News

At the September Fish and Wildlife Committee meeting, staff completed their presentation on part one of a five-part retrospective on how the Fish and Wildlife Program has performed over the last 40 years.

Energized by a robust economic year, BPA CEO and Administrator John Hairston expressed confidence in the agency’s energy market position, financial stability, budget allocations, rate negotiations, and meeting fish and wildlife obligations.

The Council’s Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Program represents a 40-year effort to mitigate the effects of the hydropower system on fish and wildlife in the basin.

“Ann brings a depth of experience, both as a communicator and as a liaison to local and federal government agencies, to the Council,” said Council Chair Guy Norman.

With an ever-growing need to decarbonize the grid while providing reliable and affordable generation, offshore wind is receiving significant industry attention.

The Council has appointed Jennifer Light as its power division director; she had been the interim director since April 2022.

This past spring, Oregon Council member Louie Pitt, Jr. and Council staff toured the Trout Creek Watershed Restoration Project located in Central Oregon. 

Council members were briefed on spring Chinook salmon returns to the Columbia and Snake rivers, as well as the more sobering update on recovery efforts for Tucannon River spring Chinook.

Laurie Porter and Jon Hess from CRITFC report on the current run of Pacific lamprey and tribal projects currently implemented through the Council’s Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program.

While it is possible to replace the output of the four lower Snake River dams while meeting aggressive clean-energy goals, the cost would be substantial, and the reliability of the system could depend on future technologies.