Washington Legislature Protects Channel Funds

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E-Mail Update April 8, 2005 -- Volume 5, Number 5

Washington Legislature Protects Channel Funds:
Washington And Oregon Each Previously Committed $27.7 Million For The Columbia River Channel Improvement Project, Collectively Representing The Required 35% Non-Federal Matching Funds For Channel Deepening. The Oregon Appropriation Came From Lottery Funds And Has Already Been Fully Transferred To The Ports. The Washington State Appropriation Came From Both Capital Funds ($17.7 Million) And Transportation Funds ($10 Million), Each Of Which Must Be Re-Appropriated If Not Spent Within The Two-Year Budget.

This Week The Washington House Capital Budget Chair Released A 2005-07 Budget That Would Re-Appropriate The $17.7 Million In Capital Funds For The Channel Project. In Addition, The Washington Senate Transportation Budget Was Passed Out Of Committee This Week To Re-Appropriate The $3,545,000 Remaining In Transportation Funds, Which Is The Portion Of The Original $10 Million That Will Not Be Expended By June 30, 2005. Former Washington Governor Gary Locke Included These Re-Appropriation Requests In His Final Budget, Which Are Also Supported By New Governor Christine Gregoire.

We Urge Coalition Members To Contact Washington State Legislators In Support Of These Re-Appropriation Requests For Channel Deepening.

“Connect Oregon” Plan Moving Forward:
Connectoregon Is A Lottery-Bond-Based Initiative That Will Invest In Strategic Rail, Marine, Air, And Transit Projects To Enhance Multi-Modal Connections Across Oregon And Our Region. Connectoregon Was Proposed By Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski To Save Transportation Costs For Businesses And Consumers. Special Priority Will Be Given To Projects That Improve The Links Between Two Or More Modes Of Transportation. The Legislative Vehicle For Connectoregon, Senate Bill 71, Was Passed Unanimously Out Of The Senate Transportation Committee On Wednesday.

We Urge Coalition Members To Contact Oregon State Legislators In Support Of Connectoregon’s Key Transportation Investments.

Comment On Columbia River Channel Maintenance:
An Opportunity To Comment On The U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers’ Plans To Continue Annual Maintenance Dredging Of The Columbia River Federal Navigation Channel Is Scheduled For Tuesday, April 12, 2005 At The Port Of Vancouver. Registration Will Begin At 5:30 P.M. And The Hearing Will Begin At 6:30 P.M. This Public Hearing Is Being Hosted By The Oregon Department Of Environmental Quality, Washington Department Of Ecology, And The Corps.

At The Hearing, Members Of The Public Are Invited To Comment On The Corps’ Plans To Dredge The Main 40-Foot Columbia River Navigation Channel And Various Side Channels Along The Columbia River. This Annual Dredging Work Is Required To Maintain The Channels At Their Federally-Authorized Depths.

Opponents Of Maintenance Dredging Are Likely To Be Present To Testify, So Please Plan To Join Us In Person To Support Continued Maintenance Dredging – Or Send Us Your Written Comments So We May Submit Them For The Record On April 12.

Comment On Snake River Navigation Maintenance:
The Walla Walla District Of The Corps Is Seeking Comment On The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Eis) For Maintaining The Navigation Channel And Port Facilities On The Snake River. Since The Columbia And Snake River Systems Function As One Major Transportation Route Supporting Our Region’s Economy, We Urge You To Review The Draft Eis And Provide Your Comments.

The Corps Is Authorized By Congress To Maintain A 250-Feet Wide And 14-Feet Deep Navigation Channel On The Snake River And Historically Has Routinely Maintained The Channel Through Dredging. Unfortunately, The Corps Has Not Been Permitted To Perform Maintenance Dredging In This Channel Since 1999. Shoaling Has Restricted Actual Channel Depths To 8.5 Feet And 10.6 Feet Near The Ports Of Clarkston And Lewiston, Respectively.

Eight Alternatives Were Considered To Address The Immediate Need To Restore The Authorized Navigation Channel. After Considerable Analysis, The Preferred Alternative Selected Is Dredging The Navigation Channel To Its Authorized Dimensions At Five Particularly Shallow And/Or Narrow Areas And The Use In-Water Disposal Of The Dredged Material To Create Shallow-Water Habitat For Listed Salmonids.

You May View The Draft Eis At www.Nww.Usace.Army.Mil/Channel_Maint/One-Year/Default.Htm. We Encourage Your Comments To Focus On The Economic Importance Of Maintaining The 14-Foot Navigation Channel And The Detrimental Impact Of A Shallow Channel. Comments May Be Submitted Through The Corps Webpage Or Mailed To The Following Address (Requiring Postmark By April 25, 2005):

U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers
Cenww-Pd-Ec
Attn: Navigation Maintenance Eis
201 North Third Avenue
Walla Walla,Wa 99362-1876

Oregon's "Salmon Recovery Plan" & Nwf Legal Action:
In January, Oregon's Governor Released A Draft Salmon Recovery Proposal To Address Concerns With Salmon Returns On The Columbia/Snake River System. He Also Announced The Possibility Of Intervening In The Federal Columbia River Power System Biological Opinion Lawsuit.

At That Time, The Governor Said: "The 2004 Biological Opinion Claims That Federal Law Does Not Require That Salmon Be Brought Back To Abundant Levels, And That The Harm Caused By Columbia River Dams Can Be Ignored....This Dispute Is About Two Words: Survival And Recovery. The Federal Government Wants To Turn Its Back On Its Previous Policy Of Recovering Salmon To Levels That Sustain Social, Economic And Ecological Benefits - And Substitute The Lower Standard Of Making Sure That Salmon Simply Survive. This Is Wrong - And If I Cannot Compel The Federal Government Through Negotiation To Do What's Right, I Will Use Every Legal Tool The State Has To Change Survival Back To Recovery."

The Original Plan Could Have Had Major Negative Effects On Commercial Navigation Above The John Day Dam. When Made Aware Of These Impacts By The Coalition, The Port Of Portland, And Many Other Organizations Throughout The Northwest, The Governor's Office Pledged That They Are No Longer Considering Options That Would Have A Negative Impact On Navigation. The Governor's Office Has Been Negotiating With The Federal Agencies To Resolve Concerns. Additionally, The Governor And His Key Staff Have Been Working With The Governors Of Idaho, Montana And Washington To Come To A Common Position On This Issue That Would Preserve Navigation.

In Related News, On March 21 The National Wildlife Federation (Nwf) Did File A Motion For Preliminary Injunction Against The Biop. The Motion Asks Judge James Redden To Order The Federal Agencies To Manage The River To Decrease Water Particle Travel Time On The Rivers For 60-70 Days In The Summer, Spill More Water, Implement All 199 Of The "Reasonable And Prudent Alternatives" Of The 2000 Biop, And Withdraw The 2004 Biop. The Remedies Sought By The Nwf Would Be Devastating To Navigation, Irrigation, And Hydropower. They Are Ignoring The Record Salmon Returns During The Past Four Years And Instead Using The Region's Low Water Forecasts To Seek This Preliminary Injunction. It Is Significant That While The Governor Did Join With The Original Plaintiffs On The Suit, He Specifically Did Not Join The Plaintiffs In Seeking This Injunction.

It Is Important To Note That The Columbia River Channel Improvement Project Is Not Related To Any Of These Efforts To Restrict Navigation, Irrigation, Hydropower, Or Other Operations On The Upper Columbia/Snake Rivers. The Coalition Will Continue To Support Efforts To Protect And Enhance The Vitality Of Columbia/Snake River System.

Some Coalition Members Have Asked If It Would Be Helpful To Hold Hostage The Channel Deepening Project In Order To Persuade Others To Stop Trying To Restrict Upriver Operations. We Believe Using Channel Deepening As A "Bargaining Chip" Would Be A Mistake For Two Reasons:

Organizations And Individuals Who Want To Constrain Upriver Navigation, Irrigation, And/Or Hydropower Either Oppose Channel Deepening Or Aren't Passionate Enough About Channel Deepening To Be Influenced By Such A Threat.
Rather Than Positively Benefiting Upriver Operations, Such A Threat Could Actually Backfire By Reducing The Broad-Based Regional Support For Channel Deepening.

Sometimes It Makes Sense To Tie Two Issues Together And Try To Leverage Support. We Strongly Believe This Is Not One Of Those Instances. If You Have Questions Regarding This Issue, Please Feel Free To Contact Us At Crcc@Channelcoalition.Com Or 503-285-6343.

Did You Know?
The U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers Has Recorded Fish Counts Indicating That More Adult Salmon And Steelhead Have Returned Past Bonneville Dam In Each Of The Last Four Years Than In Any Year Since The Dam Was Built In 1938.

Please contact us with any questions, concerns, or information requests. Thanks for your partnership in building a stronger economy through maritime trade.

Dave Hunt, Executive Director
Theeme Holznagel, Office Manager
Columbia River Channel Coalition
(503) 285-6343 (voice), (503) 285-6350 (fax)
CRCC@ChannelCoalition.com (e-mail)

Columbia River Channel Coalition Office:
(503) 654-4907 - Fax: (503) 654-8259
e-mail: crcc@channelcoalition.com