(PORTLAND, OR) – Northwest RiverPartners appreciates the
spirit of collaboration between states, tribes and federal agencies that has
led to this short-term agreement around operations of the federal hydropower
system. We are encouraged that this agreement intends to put a temporary halt
to the ongoing litigation that for so long has ill-served our region.
At the same time, we are concerned about the unprecedented
and scientifically unproven levels of new spill being contemplated by the
agreement – particularly in 2020 and 2021. Further, many details remain
unclear, making it difficult to determine whether goals of the agreement will
materialize. We are also concerned with the potential adverse effects on carbon
emission reduction goals that appear to have not been adequately analyzed.
In 2020 and 2021 the agreement considers levels of spill
that are not supported by current science or allowed under existing state water
quality standards. The agreement
proposes operating the federal dams during some spring hours of each day at higher
levels of spill while also providing lower levels of spill during other periods
of the day when power is more valuable. Spill can be a useful tool to aid
salmon in migrating downstream; however, too much spill can cause gas bubble
trauma in fish, which can harm or even kill them.
This is why NWRP has called on the Washington Department of
Ecology to conduct a rigorous science review before granting any waiver to the
existing water quality standards. The
Department established these standards explicitly to protect salmon and other
aquatic species. Given this, the possible adverse effects of increased spill on
endangered salmon and other aquatic species should not be ignored simply to
avoid future litigation. There also needs to be rigorous monitoring and
accountability for this new proposed operation with mechanisms in place to
reduce spill levels if they begin to negatively affect fish survival.
Public utilities are responsible for providing reliable,
affordable carbon free energy to their customers and have been supportive of
the federal agencies’ management plans for the federal hydropower system. The
public power community understands and can appreciate the goals of the
agreement but needs more information to ensure those goals can be realized and
to better understand the costs, benefits and risks of the agreement to
customers, salmon and the Northwest’s environment.
BPA states it will continue to work collaboratively with the
parties to the agreement to refine the analysis and determine final spring
spill operations, particularly in 2020 and 2021 when higher levels of spill may
be pursued.
Given the significance of this complex agreement, in the
coming days and months, we look forward to gaining a better understanding of it
– including an understanding of the full suite of benefits and risks to
Northwest ratepayers and the multi-purpose users of the river system. We look
forward to working closely with the federal agencies, the states, and regional
stakeholders to ensure that this agreement is implemented in a manner that
maximizes the value of our region’s carbon free hydropower resource, protects
ratepayers, and protects ESA listed salmon species.
