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.
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Parties Put Salmon/Steelhead BiOp Litigation On Hold, Commit To Working Together To Find ‘Comprehensive, Long-Term Solution’
October 22nd, 2021
Plaintiffs in the challenge to the Columbia/Snake River biological opinion for salmon and steelhead filed this week an unopposed stay in federal court that effectively puts the litigation on hold while all the parties search for comprehensive salmon recovery solutions.
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Feds Seek To Dismiss Irrigators’ Claims In Salmon BiOp Case; Irrigators Challenge, Saying ‘Interests Directly Affected’
June 11th, 2021
Defendants in the latest challenge to the Columbia/Snake River biological opinion for salmon and steelhead and final environmental impact statement have questioned the cross-claims of the Columbia-Snake River Irrigators Association, saying the irrigators lack jurisdiction.
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Judge Sets Timeline For Challenge To Columbia River Salmon/Steelhead EIS/BIOP; Could Extend Well Into 2022
April 16th, 2021
A federal judge in Oregon has set a schedule for future litigation proceedings in the eighth challenge since 2001 to the federal biological opinion for threatened and endangered Columbia River basin salmon and steelhead. Activity begins this month and extends out to at least August 2022 when final summary judgement briefs are due to the court.
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USFWS BiOp For Listed Bull Trout, Kootenai River Sturgeon Included In Columbia/Snake EIS Details Needed Conservation Measures
August 18th, 2020
When the Columbia River System Operators released the 2020 final environmental impact statement for the Columbia River power system’s impacts on salmon and steelhead in late July, tucked into the document were two biological opinions.
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New Federal EIS, BiOp For Columbia/Snake Hydro System Distinct From Recovery Plans; Broader Regional Actions Needed To De-List Salmon, Steelhead
August 6th, 2020
Tucked into the Columbia River System Operators’ final environmental impact statement for the Columbia River power system’s impacts on salmon and steelhead that was released late last week is a more than 1,600 page biological opinion from NOAA Fisheries.
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USFWS Starts Status Review Of ESA-Listed Columbia Basin Bull Trout As Updated BiOp Expected This Summer
March 26th, 2020
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced the initiation of five-year status reviews for 129 species in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Hawaii, Montana, California, and Nevada under the Endangered Species Act, including threatened Columbia River basin bull trout.