2004 Legislation
Print Friendly

HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 27 – Salmon survival evaluatns requested

HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 27

View Bill Status

View Bill Text

View Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact



Text to be added within a bill has been marked with Bold and
Underline. Text to be removed has been marked with
Strikethrough and Italic. How these codes are actually displayed will
vary based on the browser software you are using.

This sentence is marked with bold and underline to show added text.

This sentence is marked with strikethrough and italic, indicating
text to be removed.

Bill Status



HJM027....................................................by WAYS AND MEANS
SALMON SURVIVAL EVALUATIONS - Stating findings of the Legislature and
requesting that the United States government conduct salmon survival
evaluations in the 2004 spill year, the goal of which should be to
determine if it is possible to achieve the same or greater levels of
survival and biological benefit to migrating fish as is currently achieved
while reducing the amount of water spilled, thus decreasing the adverse
impacts on the region's power supply.
                                                                        
03/18    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
03/19    Rpt prt - to 2nd rdg
    Rls susp - ADOPTED - voice vote
    Floor Sponsor - Cuddy
    Title apvd - to Senate
03/19    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to Res/Env
03/20    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 10th Ord
    Rls susp - ADOPTED - voice vote
    Floor Sponsor - Brandt
    Title apvd - to House
03/22    To enrol - Rpt enrol - Sp signed - Pres signed
    To Secretary of State

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-seventh Legislature                 Second Regular Session - 2004
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                                                        
                                HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 27
                                                                        
                                BY WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                   A JOINT MEMORIAL
  2    TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, TO THE SECRETARY OF THE  DEPARTMENT  OF
  3        THE  INTERIOR,  TO  THE  SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED
  4        STATES IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND TO THE CONGRESSIONAL  DELEGATION  REPRE-
  5        SENTING THE STATE OF IDAHO IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES.
                                                                        
  6        We,  your Memorialists, the House of Representatives and the Senate of the
  7    State of Idaho assembled in the Second Regular Session  of  the  Fifty-seventh
  8    Idaho Legislature, do hereby respectfully represent that:
                                                                        
  9        WHEREAS,  the majority of energy required by the Pacific Northwest is pro-
 10    duced by hydropower; and
 11        WHEREAS, spill for fish should be managed according to the  most  biologi-
 12    cally effective level at each hydro project; and
 13        WHEREAS, spilling to the maximum gas supersaturation levels of one hundred
 14    twenty  percent may be increasing mortality at some dams when compared to what
 15    would occur at lesser volumes of spill; and
 16        WHEREAS, the difference in survival between  spillway  passage  and  other
 17    passage methods may in some instances be minimal; and
 18        WHEREAS, the maximum level of fish survival at each project may be differ-
 19    ent from and not necessarily correlated with the most spill; and
 20        WHEREAS, spill may have negative effects on returning adults; and
 21        WHEREAS, there are few fish in the river system in July and August because
 22    the majority of smolts are barged; and
 23        WHEREAS,  the 2000 Biological Opinion provides adequate latitude for spill
 24    adjustments including spill reductions; and
 25        WHEREAS, spillway passage for migrating salmon can  also  be  the  passage
 26    method  most  costly  to the regional power system, especially in years of low
 27    water or high market prices for energy; and
 28        WHEREAS, the Bonneville Power Administration has  estimated  the  cost  of
 29    spill in the months of July and August by the Federal Columbia Power System to
 30    be approximately 77 million dollars; and
 31        WHEREAS,  the  Northwest  Power and Conservation Council has called on the
 32    federal government to conduct an evaluation of  the  biological  effectiveness
 33    and costs of spillway passage at each project.
 34        NOW,  THEREFORE,  BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Second Regular Ses-
 35    sion of the Fifty-seventh Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives  and
 36    the Senate concurring therein, that we request the United States government to
 37    conduct  salmon survival evaluations in the 2004 spill year, the goal of which
 38    should be to determine if it is possible to achieve the same or greater levels
 39    of survival and biological benefit to migrating fish as is currently  achieved
 40    while  reducing  the  amount  of  water  spilled,  thus decreasing the adverse
 41    impacts on the region's power supply.
 42        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chief Clerk of the  House  of  Representa-
 43    tives  be, and she is hereby authorized and directed to forward a copy of this
 44    Memorial to the President of the United States, to the Secretary of the United
                                                                        
                                           2
                                                                        
  1    States Department of Interior, to the  President of the Senate and the Speaker
  2    of the House of Representatives of Congress, and the congressional  delegation
  3    representing the State of Idaho in the Congress of the United States.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact



                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
                             RS 14265

The purpose of this legislation is to support the Power and
Conservation Council in their efforts to attain a better method
of water management in the Columbia River Drainage system. 
Better management of water will provide for additional power
generation while continuing to provide for reasonable fish
passage that does not require excessive water use from the upper
Columbia River drainage.


                          FISCAL IMPACT

No fiscal impact.


Contact
Name: Rep. Stevenson, Rep. Cuddy 
Phone: (208) 332-1000





STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                     HJM 027