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Welcome!
This is the Council's Monthly Spotlight
e-newsletter. Each month, you'll receive the latest news from
Council meetings, including recent decisions, news from state offices, and
updates on energy and the environment.
January 2004 Issue
Update on Implementation of 2004 Summer Spill
Evaluations
Council members were updated on the progress to implement actions
called for in the Council's mainstem amendments. Senior federal
staff from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bonneville Power
Administration, and NOAA Fisheries described the most recent activities
and decisions regarding 2004 summer spill and Libby/Hungry Horse reservoir
tests. Their presentation (240k
PDF) discussed the flexibility of the biological opinion, their
analytical approach, and a summary of the potential biological offsets for
reducing summer spill.
Panel Discussion on the Future Role of the Bonneville
Power Administration
A panel discussed the future role of Bonneville and provided comments
on how to move forward in the regional dialogue. Paul Norman and
Helen Goodwin of Bonneville; John Saven, Northwest Requirements Utilities;
Steve Weiss, NW Energy Coalition; and Pat Reiten, Pacific Northwest
Generating Cooperative participated in the discussion. Key issues
for the joint customer group include rate stability, Bonneville's
policies, and long-term contracts. Saven noted new resources,
customers' equity, and rates as issues for his organization. Norman
emphasized Bonneville's intention to pursue the development of tiered
rates and long-term contracts. He also affirmed Bonneville's June
deadline for release of their proposal. Council member Jim Kempton,
power committee chair, said that the Council still intends to have its
final recommendations completed in April, and he called for establishing
workgroups to try to reach consensus on all outstanding issues. The
first organizational meeting for workgroups is scheduled for the first
week of February.
The Independent Economic Analysis Board Presents Report
on Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Mainstem Actions
Dr. Roger Mann, chief author of a study (130k
PDF) on how cost-effectiveness analysis can be applied to questions
about summer spill at Snake River dams, presented his report to Council
members at their January meeting. The report presents principles and
examples of the application of cost-effectiveness analysis to actions
intended to improve mainstem passage survival in the Columbia River
Basin. Among its conclusions is that "win-win" situations,
where fish and ratepayers are both better off, are possible.
Judi Danielson Elected to Second Term as Council Chair
Idaho Council member Judi Danielson was re-elected unanimously for a
second term as Council chair at the January meeting. Oregon member
Melinda S. Eden was also elected unanimously to serve as vice chair.
Officers serve for a one-year term. Ms. Danielson was appointed to
the Council by Governor Dirk Kempthorne in 2001. She served three
terms in the Idaho Senate and has worked extensively on natural resource
issues. Ms. Eden was appointed to the Council by Governor John
Kitzhaber in 2003 an served as Chair of the Oregon Environmental Quality
Commission from 1999 to 2003. See press
release.
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Coming Up
- Feb 17-19 Council Meeting, Boise, Idaho
State News
Montana
- Feb 6
Governor's Energy Consumer Protection Task Force, Helena, Capitol
Building
Oregon
- Feb 11
8:30 a.m. - Noon, Subbasin Planning Coordination Group Meeting,
Portland, Large Conference Room
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