Announcements Jan. 29, 2010: The federal government today filed a reply brief in U.S. District Court presenting legal options to allow for the Court's proper consideration of the Administration's review of the FCRPS BiOp.
Jan. 22, 2010: The action agencies sent a letter to NOAA Fisheries today saying that the status of Upper Columbia Spring Chinook is unlikely to drop below the Adaptive Management Implementation Plan Significant Decline threshold in 2010 or 2011. More information here.
Jan. 13, 2010: The US Fish and Wildlife Service today announced a proposal to revise the critical habitat designation for threatened bull trout, designating 22,679 miles of streams and 533,426 acres of lakes and reservoirs in Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Montana and Nevada as critical habitat for the wide-ranging fish. More information on bull trout here.
Jan. 4, 2010: The Environmental Protection Agency Region 10 will host a workshop on Columbia River toxics reduction Feb. 25, 2010, in Portland, Oregon. See the Region 10 website for more information and an agenda.
Dec. 30, 2009: Record returns of coho salmon to the middle and upper Columbia River this year signal the comeback of fish that 20 years ago were virtually extinct in upriver tributaries. See press release.
Dec. 21, 2009: The federal government today filed a brief and proposed voluntary remand order in U.S. District Court presenting two alternatives for the Adaptive Management Implementation Plan to be identified in the BiOp for public and judicial review, as Judge Redden specified at a hearing Nov. 23, 2009.
Dec. 21, 2009: Today the action agencies released their report on the first year of work under the 2008 FCRPS BiOp. The report demonstrates that the federal strategy of aiding fish at each step of their lives is helping return more salmon to recently restored rivers and streams. View the summary document or go to a page with links to all four sections.
Nov. 23, 2009: NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco said in a statement today following a hearing on FCRPS Biological Opinion: "The Administration hopes we can bring a decade of litigation to a close. We think it is appropriate to focus our resources on fish protections and habitat restoration."
Nov. 12, 2009: Salmon migrated upstream into the Taneum Creek watershed for the first time in more than a century today when crews put the finishing touches on a project to remove an irrigation diversion dam on the creek.
Oct. 23, 2009: The Department of Justice has filed a reply brief in Judge James Redden’s court regarding the Obama Administration’s review of the 2008 FCRPS BiOp. The briefs and accompanying exhibits posted here.
In addition, three states and six tribes have jointly filed a brief in support of the FCRPS BiOp. See filing here.
Sept. 30, 2009: NOAA's Fisheries Service today released its recovery plan for Middle Columbia River steelhead. Today's release brings to 10 the number of ESA-protected salmon or steelhead runs that now are covered by recovery plans. See NOAA website for more information.
Sept. 16, 2009: Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire strengthened the state’s salmon-protection partnership with federal agencies Wednesday by signing a major agreement that will accelerate habitat protection and restoration in the funding for Columbia River estuary habitat.
Sept. 15, 2009: Backed by sound science, strong stakeholder support and extensive outreach, the federal government today filed with a United States district court a strengthened plan to implement NOAA’s 2008 biological opinion governing operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System. The plan bolsters protection for salmon and steelhead on the Columbia and Snake rivers in the Pacific Northwest by adding contingency measures that provide extra insurance that the fish will survive with an adequate potential for recovery. Documents and background information are posted here.
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