04/18/05 N.E.P.A. task force; Dams help fish?

As a freshman member of Congress, Representative Cathy McMorris of Washington has received the honor of heading up a House task force assigned to study if the intent of the National Environmental Policy Act, or N.E.P.A, is being followed. N.E.P.A. processes are required to determine environmental impacts when planning projects or issuing permits. The task force is part of an overall effort by the House Resources Committee to determine how to improve N.E.P.A. for affected landowners and businesses. That effort will include a series of field hearings, starting with the opening hearing at the end of the month in Spokane. Here is a new twist to the arguments over keeping the dams of the Columbia and lower Snake Rivers in place. Noted pro-dam attorney James Buchal, arguing on behalf of two irrigation associations in Washington and Oregon against the federal hydro biological opinion, says his clients believe juvenile salmon have a better chance of survival by being forced to migrate past the eight federal dams in the Columbia-lower Snake system. In their case against N.O.A.A. Fisheries and the bio-op, the Columbia-Snake and Easter Oregon Irrigators' Association says federal analysts "cherry-picked" survival data from juvenile salmon traps to determine the one with the lowest natural mortality rate. The reason, according to the irrigators, was to show that fish population survival is in worse shape with the dams in place. Now with today's Food Forethought, here's Susan Allen. ALLEN: I like sea lions, something about their little fuzzy mugs popping up a few feet from our boat always brings a smile to my face. I know fish biologist and fisherman can't stand the critters due to the fact their favorite snack happens to be salmon, and we all know that when it comes to it comes to saving Northwest salmon, logic and reason are thrown out the window. In the continuing salmon saga, farmers who must irrigate to produce our food are called the bad guys while Indians who tie the mighty Columbia up in knots with nets are labeled eco-sensitive, go figure! If we are going to point fingers, Sammy the sea lion should shoulder some blame, but the press doesn't tell us much about that. It is estimated that he and his buddies have killed 65 percent of the salmon in the 1990's. It's a wonder the farmers had any left to wipe out. Savvy sea-lions have now figured how to continue their feasting miles the Columbia and have the audacity to munch steelhead near fish ladders right in front of the salmon counters. I'm Susan Allen and this is Food Forethought.