05/07/08 Salmon recovery bi-op faces challenges

The head of the Coalition for Idaho Water is please with the new salmon recovery biological opinion that deals with the operation of the upper Snake River dams and reservoirs. But Norm Semanko knows that environmental groups don't see it the same way he does. SEMANKO "They can instantly opine that oh this is worse than the last one. You know it just shows that they really don't care what the plan says or what it may or may not do for the salmon. They care about getting the dams removed." The recovery plan drafted by the Bush Administration does not call for dam removal on the lower Snake and will go before US District Court Judge James Redden in Portland when a challenge is filed. Semanko expects that happen. He will argue that the new bi-op is correct for several reasons. SEMANKO "There's a limit on the amount of water that can come from Idaho for flow augmentation. The water can only come from willing sellers. They're not going to take it from anyone and you know, it's got to follow state law." And most of the Northwest Indian tribes who opposed prior bi-ops have signed on to a ten year regional salmon strategy plan and that may mean that environmental groups will go into a courtroom without the tribes at their side. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott