Comments On Corps’ Draft EIS for 13 Willamette Valley Dams Question Whether Plan Avoids Jeopardy For ESA-Listed Salmonids
March 23rd, 2023
A massive 2,000 page draft environmental impact statement on how Willamette River Valley dams impact threatened salmon, steelhead and bull trout is flawed and does not address one of its own primary goals, which is meeting obligations under the Endangered Species Act to avoid jeopardizing the existence of listed species, according to several groups and agencies that submitted comments to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in late February.
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Corps Releases Draft EIS For 13 Willamette Basin Dams Intended To Aid ESA-Listed Salmon, Steelhead; Drawdowns, Structural Changes, Less Power
December 2nd, 2022
Operations at thirteen federal dams in the Willamette River basin may soon be altered to aid threatened upper Willamette River spring Chinook, winter steelhead, and bull trout. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which operates the dams, released a draft operations and maintenance programmatic environmental impact statement late last week for public review until January 19, 2023.
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NOAA Says No Change Needed To ESA-Listing Status Of Interior Columbia River Basin Salmon/Steelhead; Two Populations Face High Extinction Risk
August 23rd, 2022
Seven interior Columbia River basin salmon and steelhead species listed as threatened or endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act should retain their current listing status, according to five-year status reviews released by NOAA Fisheries. The listed species are in the mid- and upper-Columbia River basin and the Snake River basin.
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Judge Agrees To Extend Stay On Columbia/Snake Salmon Recovery Case For Another Year As Parties Seek ‘Comprehensive Solutions’
August 4th, 2022
U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Simon this morning agreed to a request by the Biden Administration and plaintiffs to extend for another year the stay in the litigation challenging the federal government’s environmental impact statement and biological opinion for Columbia/Snake river salmon and steelhead. The parties want more time to identify “comprehensive” solutions to basin salmon recovery.
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New Regulatory Tool Released For Development That To Date Has Altered, Eliminated 70 Percent Of Nearshore Salmon Habitat In Puget Sound, Salish Sea
July 7th, 2022
Pending shoreline projects in the Salish Sea can now proceed under a new regulatory tool, a programmatic consultation.
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Federal Mediators For Columbia Basin Salmon Recovery Hope For Extension Of Litigation Pause; Would Give More Time For Comprehensive Plan
June 30th, 2022
A federal mediator told the Columbia Basin Collaborative Wednesday that his group is hoping for “an extension on the stay” of litigation over Columbia/Snake river basin salmon recovery so mediation among plaintiffs and defendants can continue to move forward.
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House Bill Includes ‘Columbia River Restoration’ Section; Would Include Assessment Of Lower Snake River Dams’ Impacts On Economy, Fish
June 9th, 2022
The Water Resources Development Act of 2022 approved by the House of Representatives Wednesday includes a lengthy section called “Columbia River Basin Restoration” and would require an inter-agency assessment of the four lower Snake River dams’ impact on fish and wildlife.
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White House Plans On Being Involved With Columbia Basin Salmon Recovery As BiOp Litigation Talks Continue; Collaborative Approves A Charter
March 31st, 2022
The White House this week made clear it plans to be involved in Columbia River salmon recovery, saying it has engaged mediators to facilitate “public policy dialogue” with governments and stakeholders.
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With Continuing Drought In Southern Idaho, Full Amount Of BiOp Level Flow Augmentation For Columbia/Snake River Migrating Salmon Unlikely
March 17th, 2022
Due to continuing severe drought conditions in southern Idaho, the Bureau of Reclamation said it is unlikely it can provide this year a biological opinion level of flow augmentation from the upper Snake River basin to aid migrating juvenile salmon and steelhead in the lower Snake River.