The federal government held a series of hearings on the Columbia & Snake River in March 2020. The hearings were part of the Columbia River System Operations Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) process. Unfortunately, the DEIS is too limited in scope and scale to envisioning the inclusive change that people are calling for across the region.
We need our political leaders to come together to move our region forward. Working together, we can find sustainable solutions for fish and wildlife, tribal treaty obligations, electricity, food production, transportation, and recreation.
Here’s what you need to know:
- The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) was released on Feb. 28, 2020 by the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, and Bonneville Power Administration.
- The DEIS considered options for future management of federal dams in the Columbia Basin, including four dams on the Lower Snake River. One option would involve removal of these four Snake River dams.
- This DEIS followed five previous management plans that have been rejected by federal courts as inadequate and illegal for meeting salmon conservation goals.
- Stakeholders across the region have said they’re eager to avoid more litigation and tired of an EIS process that can’t deliver the comprehensive solutions people want.
- There was a 45-day comment period that closed April 13 and there were several teleconference hearings to provide public input.
- The final EIS is expected in June 2020 with adoption of a new plan by September 2020.