HABITAT HOTLINE

OCTOBER 1999     NUMBER 43

Table of Contents:
I. 106th Congress
II. Federal
III. Regional
IV. Columbia Basin
V. Washington
VI. California
VII. Alaska
VIII. Weather/Ocean/Climate

I. 106TH CONGRESS

OCS Legislation

Several bills have been introduced which would direct Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and gas revenues to fund coastal restoration efforts, state fish and wildlife programs, and federal land purchases (including funding of the Land and Water Conservation Fund*). Two OCS bills receiving the most attention are S. 25, introduced by Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La.), and H.R. 701, introduced by Representative Don Young (R-Alaska) (see Habitat Hotline Number 42).

According to Environment and Energy Weekly (09/13/99), markup of S. 25 has been postponed as Senators "seek broader consensus on the issue." A point of contention over S. 25 involves the distribution formula for OCS receipts. Also, Western Republicans have raised concerns about federal land purchases in their already heavily federally-owned states. Concerns raised in the House about H.R. 701, according to Environment and Energy Weekly, include listing the Great Lakes states as coastal states (even though they don’t conduct drilling); and addressing the sizable maintenance backlog at federal sites before more land is acquired.

Other OCS revenue bills include H.R. 798, introduced on 02/23/99 by Representative George Miller (D-Calif.); its companion bill, S. 446, introduced by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.); and S. 532, introduced by Senator Diane Feinstein (D-Calif) (See Habitat Hotline Number 42). On 09/09/99, S. 1573 was introduced by Senators Leiberman (D-Conn.), Chafee (R-R.I.), Leahy (D-Vt.), and Jeffords (R-Vt.). This bill, according to Environment and Energy Weekly, seeks to overcome the divisive nature of the other proposals by more evenly distributing the revenues to all 50 states.

Also in the mix is the Clinton Administration’s proposal, the "Lands Legacy" initiative. The proposal seeks just over $1 billion in a one-time allocation to fund wilderness, parks and coastal areas in Fiscal Year 2000, which begins October 1, 1999 (See Habitat Hotline Number 41). In the current appropriations debate for FY00, it appears likely that the final Congressional budget will not include all of the Administration’s $1 billion request.

For further information on the issue visit the Teaming with Wildlife coalition website at http://www.teaming.com or call them at (202) 624-7890.

[*The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) is a "trust fund" to accumulate revenues from federal outdoor recreation user fees, the federal motorboat fuel tax, surplus property sales, and oil and gas leases on the Outer Continental Shelf, for subsequent appropriation by Congress. The fund was authorized to provide up to $900 million annually for acquisition of federal park and wildlife refuge lands and to provide matching grants to states for outdoor recreation planning and development and land acquisition. In recent years, the LWCF has not been fully funded.]

II. FEDERAL

III. REGIONAL

Stocks that do not warrant listing:

Stocks listed as Threatened:

There are now 26 West Coast anadromous salmonid species listed under the Endangered Species Act. A complete ESA status list of West Coast anadromous salmonids can be accessed at NMFS’s website at http://www.nwr.noaa.gov and clicking on ESA salmon.

IV. COLUMBIA BASIN

Whereas, fishing cultures, livelihoods, economies, and recreation along the Pacific Coast from Alaska to California, and east to Idaho and Montana, have been dramatically affected by the precipitous decline and subsequent listing under the Endangered Species Act of anadromous fish in the Snake River Basin;

WHEREAS, rigorous scientific review by the Plan for Analyzing and Testing Hypotheses (PATH)1, has demonstrated much, if not most, of this decline is due to cumulative impacts of the Federal Columbia River Hydroelectric System, and, that retiring Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose, and Lower Granite dams on the lower Snake River and returning this river reach to a normative river2 condition is most likely to avoid extinction and recover Snake River salmon and steelhead stocks;

THEREFORE LET IT BE RESOLVED, that the Pacific Fishery Management Council finds the extinction of wild Snake River salmon unacceptable, and recommends implementation of the measures deemed by scientific analysis to recover wild anadromous fish in the Snake River Basin to sustainable fisheries levels. The Council recommends full consideration and mitigation of negative impacts of the selected recovery option on affected individuals and their communities.

1*PATH (Plan for Analyzing and Testing Hypotheses): PATH tests hypotheses underlying key salmon management decisions in the Columbia River Basin with scientists/managers from BPA, NPPC, NMFS, IDFG, ODFW, WDFW, and the CRITFC and their member tribes, as well as independent peer reviewers.

2 i.e., a more natural river.

The full text of the resolution can be found on the web at http://www.pcouncil.org and clicking on "newsletter (June)" or by calling the PFMC at (503) 326-6352.

All five brood lines of Snake River wild spring and summer chinook populations are declining rapidly and, if present trends continue, will be categorized as extinct between the years 2008 and 2017. While some of these salmon may be returning to spawn in 2017, the population of the species would have declined to such a degree that they would have lost their ability to be self-sustaining beyond that point in time.

For a copy of the study, contact Jeff Curtis of Trout Unlimited at (503) 827-5700; or on the web go to http://www.tu.org and click on "newsstand" and "press releases."

Written comments on the report should be mailed to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Policy Review Branch, Attention CECW-AR-(IP), 7701 Telegraph Road, Alexandria, VA, 22315-3861. Comments must be received by Oct. 25, 1999.

Copies of the entire report (including the appendices) are available on request from the District Engineer, Portland District, CENWP-EC-E, ATTN: Steven J. Stevens, P.O. Box 2946, Portland, OR, 97208-2946, or by e-mail at the following address: steven.j.stevens@usace.army.mil. The main report/EIS is also available on the Internet at http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/pm/projects/crnci/final_crs.htm.

For further information contact Steve Stevens of the Corps at (503) 808-4768. For further information on concerns raised about the impact to salmonids and other aquatic resources, contact the Columbia River Estuary Study Task Force at (503) 325-0435.

V. WASHINGTON

VI. CALIFORNIA

VII. ALASKA

An ecological disaster greater than the Exxon Valdez oil spill 10 years ago could hit Alaska at any moment, according to senior employees of the BP Amoco company. The six employees--who have not been named--have written to BP Amoco’s Chief Executive, Sir John Browne, warning that "irresponsible operations" at a major oil pipeline are posing an imminent threat to human life and the environment. But the man in charge of the pipe-line has rejected the claim. "We’re confident that the pipeline is safe," Bob Malone, President of Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, told BBC News Online. "We know of no situation that exists to make it unsafe." The employees say they fear that the 22-year-old pipeline--which carries one million barrels of oil a day--may rupture, or that there might be an explosion at the Valdez oil tanker terminal.