Draft 2019 Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program Costs Report
- March 18, 2020
Comment by April 17 on the Council's Draft 2019 Columbia River Basin Fish and Wildlife Program Costs Report
News
Students Produce Web-based Synopsis of 2019 Columbia River Transboundary Conference
- March 16, 2020
Students and faculty from the University of Idaho and Washington State University developed a storymap to share information and outcomes from the 2019 International Columbia River Transboundary Conference, which was held in September in Kimberley, British Columbia.
Council Comments On Proposed Federal Rule Change Regarding Cormorants That Kill ESA-Listed Species
- March 02, 2020
Fish-eating birds, including Caspian terns, double-crested cormorants, and gulls, are killing half, or more, of the juvenile Upper Columbia steelhead during their annual outmigration down the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean. The Council's letter draws attention to the problem.
Rollback of Efficiency Standards for Light Bulbs Creates Challenges in Setting Efficiency Targets for 2021 Power Plan
- February 26, 2020
- Annika Roberts
The past two years have seen upheaval around federal efficiency standards for several appliances, including dishwashers and clothes washers, but especially for lightbulbs.
Exploring Key Power Supply Questions Through Scenario Analysis
- February 26, 2020
- Ben Kujala
The Council’s regional power plan is not just an opinion of how the region should supply electricity. It is a strategy developed through a rigorous analytical process, conducted in the public sphere, where interested parties are invited to participate.
Lower Load Growth is Forecast Over the Next 30 Years
- February 24, 2020
- Carol Winkel
Demand for electricity in the Northwest is expected to remain low over the next 20-30 years, thanks in part to the growing use of on-site solar generation at homes and businesses.
Assessing Geothermal Energy Potential
- February 20, 2020
- Carol Winkel
The Pacific Northwest is literally a hotbed of geothermal activity. Part of the so-called Ring of Fire, an area of volcanoes and seismic activity, with hot spots deep within the Earth's mantle, the region is a prime location for geothermal energy.
Fish-eating Birds Kill Half, Or More, Of Upper Columbia Steelhead Smolts, Research Shows
- February 19, 2020
- John Harrison
Juvenile fish face a multitude of dangers as they migrate down the Columbia and Snake rivers to the ocean every spring – disease, water temperature and quality, hydropower dam passage, predatory fish, but the extent of predation by birds is alarming.
Regional Power Planning in the Pacific Northwest
- January 24, 2020
- Carol Winkel
Why is the Northwest’s approach to energy planning so different from other places in the world? Read about the history behind our regional planning, its advantages, and how the Council’s power plan is developed.
Capturing the Impact of Methane Emissions
- January 24, 2020
- Annika Roberts
Methane – the primary component of natural gas – is a very potent greenhouse gas. The Council aims to account for it in its 2021 Power Plan.
Want a quick monthly summary of our news (plus lots more)? Check out our revamped Spotlight newsletter!