WSP02490

• File Number: 8021
• Description: Section D General Correspondence - Western States Water Council
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 1/14/1992
• Author: Western States Water
• Title: Western States Water 1992 - Issues 921-972
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Publication

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WESTERN
STATES WATER

December 24, 1992
Issue No. 971

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TIIE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER OF TIIE WESlERN STAlES WAlER COUNCIL

editor - Tony Willardson

Creekview Plaza, Suite A-201 I 94Z East 7145 So_ I Midvale, Utah 84047 I [phone] I FAX [phone]

typist

Carrie Curvin

ENVIRONMENT

Endangered Species Act/Fish and Wildlife

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The Pacific Northwest Power Planning Council has
published notice of major changes to the anadromous
fish provisions of its Columbia River Basin Fish and
Wildlife Program (57 FR 56935). The amendments
set rebuilding targets for various salmon and
steel head stocks and address major production and
habitat issues. For copies or more information
contact the NPPC's Public Affairs Division, 851 SW,
Sixth Avenue, Suite 1100, Portland, Oregon 97204;
[phone], or call toll free 1-800-222-3355.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has
proposed critical habitat for the Snake River
spring/summer and fall chinook, and sockeye salmon
(57 FR 57051). The sockeye were listed last year as
endangered (56 FR 58619), and the chinook were
listed as threatened last spring (57 FR 14653).
Production of Snake River sockeye salmon occurs
only in Red Fish Lake, with spring/summer chinook
sparsely distributed throughout the Grande Ronde,
Imnaha, Salmon, and Tucannon subbasins. Fall
chinook salmon production is limited primarily to the
mainstem downstream of Hell's Canyon Dam, as well
as the lower reaches of the Clearwater and other
rivers. NMFS is designating critical habitat for all
Snake River salmon species in a single proceeding
because the geographic areas overlap.

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The Endangered Species Act allows economic and
other impacts to be considered in designating critical
habitat, but the NMFS notice states that there will be
only minimal additional impacts, above those already
related to listing. NMFS notes further that the
impacts attributable to listing include the 'taking'
prohibition under Section 9, defined to cover 'harm.'
'Harm can occur through destruction or modification

chairman - Dave Kennedy

executive director - Craig Bell

of habitat (whether or not designated as cr~ical) that
significantly impairs essential behaviors, including
breeding, feeding, rearing or migration.' In
designating cr~ical salmon habitat, the essential
features include adequate water qual~, water
quant~, water temperalllre, and water velocity.
NMFS has suggested water diversions may 'harm'
protected species and may be regulated or prohibited
(WSW #930 and #937). For more information call
Garth Griffin, NMFS, Portland, [phone], or
Patricia Montanio, Silver Spring, [phone].

ENVlRONMENT~ATERRESOURCES

Intergovernmental Decisionmaking

In November, the U.S. Advisory Commission
on Intergovernmental Relations (ACIR) released
Interaovernmental Decisionmakina for Environmental
Protection and Public Works (A-122). The report
notes that these two pressing national goals -_
protecting the environment and providing public
works -- are frequently in conflict. The report states,
'As the population and economy of the Un~ed States
grow, the nation needs new highways, airports, dams,
wastewater treatment plants, and solid waste facilities.
At the same time, the United States is comm~ed to
meeting increasingly rigorous environmental goals to
improve the quality of air, water, and wildlife habitat....'
The report identifies conflicts between proposed state
and local public works projects and the federal
environmental decisionmaking process. ACIR states
that the intergovernmental process itseif is often 'an
obstacle to efficient and effective decisionmaking.'
The Commission points to considerable frustration
and concern with 'overlapping requirements,
duplicative regulations, and delays that make planning
more difficult and costly for public officials and
agencies without necessarily enhancing environmental
protection.'