The Energy News Feed: April 2013

Washington PUD Association elects new officers for 2013-2014

(OLYMPIA) -- PUD Commissioners from four public utility districts assumed top leadership positions for 2013-2014 as the Washington Public Utility Districts Association (WPUDA) announced the election of its new officers today. The new officers include two PUD Commissioners from the west side of the state and two from the east side. Pend Oreille PUD Commissioner Curt Knapp was elected to serve as President, Pacific County PUD Commissioner Diana Thompson was elected Vice-President, Chelan County PUD Commissioner Dennis Bolz was elected Secretary, and Lewis County PUD Commissioner Ben Kostick was elected to serve a second term as Treasurer.

The officers serve on the Association’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors, providing oversight and recommendations in support of WPUDA’s mission. The Washington PUD Association represents 27 not-for-profit, community-owned public utility districts and one-joint operating agency, Energy Northwest. WPUDA member PUDs provide electrical, water and wastewater, and wholesale telecommunications services to approximately one-million residential, business and industrial customers in communities across Washington. The new officers assume an important leadership role in achieving the Association’s mission to support, protect and enhance members’ ability to conserve power and water resources of the state and to provide not-for-profit, locally-controlled utility services.

“It is an honor to represent the members of the Washington PUD Association as President and I am looking forward to a challenging and rewarding year,” said Curt Knapp, newly-elected President. “My focus this year will be to work with the members of WPUDA to collaboratively promote and protect the interests of our customer-owners and ensure that PUDs continue to have the ability to provide safe, reliable and affordable, not-for-profit services,” said Knapp. “We have great opportunity, working together, to affect positive change and enact sound public policy that supports our economy and keeps people comfortable in their homes while preserving and protecting our environment.”

Pacific County Commissioner Diana Thompson moves into her new position as Vice President having served as the Association’s Secretary last year. Thompson is looking forward to her new role and the opportunities it presents. "I am grateful for the opportunity to work as part of the leadership team in an organization that provides great value to communities served by public utility districts including Pacific County,” she said.

Chelan PUD Commissioner Dennis Bolz has been active in the Association for seven years, serving on the Government Relations Committee and organizing and speaking at orientation programs for new PUD Commissioners. “Collaboration and good information are important tools for PUD commissioners,” said Bolz, who was elected Association Secretary. “Public power has a great story to tell, and WPUDA plays an important role in the conversation on local control, affordable utility rates and community service.”

Lewis County PUD Commissioner Ben Kostick has been elected to serve another term as the Association’s Treasurer, a position that taps his professional skill as a Certified Public Accountant. While the other officers serve in their positions for one year, the Treasurer position is a two-year term. ‘I am pleased to be able to use my professional experience to support the work of the Association and I am looking forward to serving a second term as Treasurer. I appreciate the opportunity to work in cooperation with other public utility districts to protect the interest of Lewis County PUD customers as well as other PUD ratepayers across the state.”

(PORTLAND, OR) --The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation have a plan to construct and operate a hatchery that would be a key step in attempts to bring naturally spawning spring Chinook back to the Walla Walla River Basin—a place they have not been for more than 75 years.

The Bonneville Power Administration as the funding partner is seeking public input on the plan.

The proposed Walla Walla Basin Spring Chinook Hatchery Program would expand the existing adult holding and spawning facility on the South Fork Walla Walla River near Milton-Freewater in Umatilla County, Ore. This is the latest project in an ongoing restoration program in the basin that addresses habitat, fish passage and flow improvements.

Up to 500,000 yearling spring Chinook smolts would be produced annually at the facility from brood stock collected downstream at the Nursery Bridge Dam. The hatchery would be used to hatch and rear juvenile spring Chinook with releases of smolts and adults planned for Walla Walla River tributaries in both Oregon and Washington.

BPA will prepare an Environmental Impact Statement under the National Environmental Policy Act that considers two options: funding the Tribes’ proposal; or a no-action alternative of not funding. The EIS will describe anticipated impacts to natural and human resources, including steps to avoid or minimize those impacts.

As the initial scope of the EIS is developed to produce a draft document, input from the public helps BPA make well-informed decisions and ensures a thorough analysis of the project.

“We want to know what people are concerned about,” said Jay Marcotte, a fish and wildlife project manager for BPA. “Do they have questions about the project? Do they know something about a particular stretch of river or other species that this proposal might impact? We want to be able to address that in the EIS.”

Public comments will be accepted through April 29, 2013. Additionally, public scoping meetings will be held on April 16 and April 17.

• MILTON-FREEWATER
Tuesday, April 16, 6-8 p.m.
Milton-Freewater Community Building
109 N.E. 5th Ave., Milton-Freewater, Ore.

• DAYTON
Wednesday, April 17, 6-8 p.m.
Dayton Elementary School
302 E. Park St., Dayton, Wash.

Each meeting will include a brief overview of the proposal from 6:30-7 p.m. Members of the project team will be on hand with maps and information. They will answer questions as well as accept oral and written comments.

Comments will be accepted through April 29 and can also be submitted online at www.bpa.gov/comment, by fax at 503-230-4019, by voice at 800-622-4519 or via mail to Bonneville Power Administration, Public Affairs Office – DKE-7, P.O. Box 14428, Portland, OR 97293-4428. Be sure to reference the “Walla Walla Basin Spring Chinook Hatchery Program” when submitting comments.

If constructed, the project would be funded as part of the 2008 Columbia Basin Fish Accords and BPA’s responsibilities under the Northwest Power Act. To find out more about the proposed hatchery program, please visit www.bpa.gov/goto/WallaWallaHatchery.