For those of you that are interested, Tacoma Power has finally released their Biological Assessment (BA) for the Cowlitz River 2016 Project. Even those it was completed way back in September 19, 2000, Tacoma has kept it out of the publics view. If you really care about the future sport fishing on the Cowlitz, read it and then post what you think is wrong with their assessment. I have already found plenty! NMFS and USFWS have 135 days to review Tacoma's BA and give their final BA. You can read or download Tacoma's BA at FERC's RIM Site : http://rimsweb1.ferc.fed.us/rims.q?rp2~intro

Understand why both NMFS and USFW think that the "Settlement Agreement" will cure all the problems of the Cowlitz River. The more people that read and understand how BIAS Tacoma is, the better chance we have to make NMFS and USFW be accountable to the people when they make their BA.

Cowlitzfisherman,

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Is the taste of the bait worth the sting of the hook????

For those of you that have not used the FERC RIM site before this is how you can read or download Tacoma's BA. Go to FERC RIM site. When the site appears, look to the left side (the blue area). Then click the "Docket" option. When that appears, type in the Docket column "p-2016" and then submit it. Soon several different actions will appear. All you need to do then is click on the document that you wish to read. The rest is simple.

Good luck!!

Cowfish,

Thanks for the access info to these important and interesting documents concerning the Cowlitz River's future. I will differ from one part of your last sentence in that I didn't find it real simple to click thru all the info options attempting to get to the nitty gritty documents most pertinent to Cowlitz fish management. I couldn't find Tacoma's Biological Assessment. Of course I've never been exceptional with the left side of the mouse; per say. ...

The only documents I could find in Docu section p-2016 in the RIMS Web were ID2142887 and ID2100375. I did see a number of names I recognized, but little pertinent to the sportfishing future of the Cowlitz River. Perhaps you can direct us to the ID #'s you found most pertinent; and either more direct info on how to access them or a summary of the pertinent info that leads you to your outlook. Thanks. As for what I did find semi-pertinent:

Document ID2142887, sec. 8.2 10 of the Cowlitz River Hydroelectric Project Settlement Agreement - In summary; this document requires Tacoma Power to engage in negotiations with the Lewis Co. PUD and Bonneville Power Administration regarding cooperative efforts to improve downstream fish passage at the Cowlitz River Falls Project. Within it claims that Tacoma is to provide progress reports toward these goals to the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Wildlife Service. The jist of it is that Tacoma is dragging their feet in cooperating. Geez, how suprising . In an addendum docu it establishes that Tacoma's time and cost investment will be great; and prior to any action needs documented confirmation that all agencies involved will cooperate with their efforts. [Stop Docu]...

Is this one of the documents that has you rightfully concerned Cowfish? How long will it take, if even possible, to get all agencies involved on the same page? And can Tacoma be enforced or pressured to live up to their responsibilites without their difficult demands being met? I don't know. Sounds like typical self-serving bullcrap to me. Dollars over fish or responsibilty. ...

The only other document I could access after clicking all over the p-2016 section was ID2100375. It is a FERC filing app by MEGA via Section 203 of the Fed. Power Act for assigning their wholesale power sales and agreements to AES Eastern Energy, L.P. It contained protest procedure information. There were supporting documents for this transfer, but I didn't find anything pertinent to Cowlitz fish management. Need more from you Cowfish.

RT

[ 04-30-2001: Message edited by: RT 1 ]

RT,

Sorry you had trouble finding the document on the FERC site. I was just on it a few minutes ago and had no trouble locating it. But did have a problem trying to get the document to come up for reading. It might be simpler to try this FERC site to read the BA (http://rimsweb1.ferc.fed.us/rims.q?rp2~getImagePages~2145752~258~87~1~50).

If that doesn't get you there please let me know. If that works for you, maybe I better change my posting.


Cowlitzfisherman
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Is the taste of the bait worth the sting of the hook????

Thanks Cowfish. I found the pertinent info from your above URL. It's all in Docu # ID2145752. That is one long read - long skim thru actually. Fortunately I don't need to make my own summarization - it's already right within a paragraph in the 4/25/01 FERC letter to the agencies involved. Unfortuantely I could not highlight and copy/paste from these Fed docu's (by design?). So I had to write and type the pertinent summary paragraph of the Biological Accessment required for the relicensing of the Cowlitz River Hydroelectric Project of Tacoma City Light. To wit:

FERC - "Commission staff has reviewed the draft BA (Biological Accessment), concurs with the analysis, and adopts it without modifications as a final BA. Based on the analysis and conclusions in the BA, we find that relicensing the project under the terms of the Settlement Agreement is likely to adversely affect chinook salmon, steelhead trout, chum salmon, coastal cutthroat trout, and coho salmon, and their designated habitat. Said project is not likely to affect bald eagle populations or northern spotted owl populations." ....

Cowfish, this isn't suprising at all to me. Most hydroelectric projects adversely affect anadromous fish. What I didn't find in my 'skim thru' of all that literature is whether this BA will be accepted as tolerable by FERC, NMFS, USWA, or WDF&G; and thus it's ultimate affect on relicensing Tacoma - without modifying the contracts to include better safeguards of the fish populations. I hope you will shed what light you can on that matter - it's all important. I would also hope to hear feedback from some involved members. ..... Thanks Cowfish

RT,

FERC states in their cover letter which was attached to the BA that the "Commission staff has reviewed the draft BA, concurs with the analysis, and adopts it without modification as a final BA"

So FERC is happy and now waits for NMFS and USWS to put their blessing to it! They have 135 days to do it!

Cowlitzfisherman


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Is the taste of the bait worth the sting of the hook????

With the Federal Endangered Species Act being the driving force behind the NMFS and other agencies, I would like to hear what they think of Tacoma's 'BA' they are hanging out there at them; especially if within the 135 days to review it they endorse it. Sure would like for SG to post some knowledgable insight to this subject.