Hydropower
Renewable hydro threatened
In recent news, Judge Redden announced through a letter to the parties involved, that he feels there is more work needed on the Biological Opinion (BiOp) that oversees the operation of the river system and concluded that breaching the dams should still be an option. This is disappointing as the BiOp is an unprecedented collaboration among scientists, fish managers from the federal government, Northwest Tribes and the Northwest states. Families and businesses pay for this plan through their monthly electric bills which equates to approximately 20 percent of their power bill. These investments are working as fish recovery continues to improve. Benton PUD works closely with Northwest RiverPartners on this issue and to keep the public informed.
In light of Judge Redden's recent guidance letter to the parties in the Biological Opinion debacle, we need your help. Judge Redden has serious reservations about the BiOp and lists six actions he urges the government to consider implementing as the settlement discussions continue. The Judge's letter is surprising, given his March 6th statement in court that "We are very close."
The Obama Administration is currently reviewing the BiOp. Ultimately, they will decide whether they support the BiOp, support it with modifications, or reject it in favor of starting over. They are doing so while plaintiffs and advocates of dam breaching continue their aggressive campaign urging the Administration to include dam removal in a revised or new BiOp.
Benton PUD continues to support the BiOp. It is the product of an unprecedented collaboration among scientists and fish managers from the federal government, Northwest Tribes and Northwest states (excluding Oregon). We believe the BiOp will stand up under rigorous scientific scrutiny. It provides more funding, more actions, more certainty and more cooperation for rebuilding fish runs than this region has ever seen. The BiOp, in concert with the historic Tribal and State Fish Accords that have been signed in the last year, address the key issues of funding and certainty that contributed to rulings against previous BiOps.
You can help. Send in a letter to the editor at the Tri-City Herald in support of the BiOp. Below are some key talking points for you to use. Northwest RiverPartners, which Benton PUD is a member of, has drafted these talking points for us. For more information visit their website at www.nwriverpartners.org.
Please remember: putting these points into your own words and reflecting your own experience is most effective - and time is critical at this point. Letters can be submitted through the Tri-City Herald website at http://www.tri-cityherald.com/sendletter/story/436004.html.
Key points to include in your letter to the editor:
- There is unprecedented regional support for the latest Biological Opinion or plan to help endangered salmon and steelhead;
- For the first time in decades, states, tribes, federal agencies and river interests have rallied around a common plan and stand ready to implement it versus litigating it;
- Nowhere in this country or the world is such an investment being made to help a listed species;
- The plan is based in sound science and should provide real benefits;
- It was developed collaboratively and transparently and continues that approach throughout its 10-year duration;
- Those few that don’t support it are focused on promoting dam removal and/or further diminishing the region’s clean hydro energy supply – in the name of helping fish but with no real support for their claims;
- The hydro system provides the region not only with clean, renewable energy but jobs, economic stability and cleaner skies;
- We need to say “enough” to those whose only focus is staying in the court room and fundraising, and forge ahead with implementation of constructive actions that will actually benefit fish;
- Obama Administration officials currently reviewing the plan need to stand behind it, and seize this historic opportunity to put aside regional divisiveness and move ahead with salmon recovery.
More information:
Northwest RiverPartners’ response to Judge Redden’s letter