John, The "Dam Breaking Movement"- On a related energy issue that may lead to greater natural gas usage- and that is the dam breaking movement. Note that Al Gore supports the "dam breaking" movement, and if elected may move to eliminate or reduce the usefulness of various western dams for hydro electric use.
I attached today's NWRA Bulletin in order to give a flavor of these water/power issues.
The main thing to note from an investment standpoint is that coal and nuclear facilities do not have the flexibility to ramp up and down and follow varying daily power demand.
Only one other type of facliity can do that and it's a gas-fired peaking facility. So if the dam breaking movement gains momentum this too will spur NG demand for replacment peaking facilities although NG-fired facilities are much more expensive than cheap, clean hydropower- and one other problem- none have been built....More Administration disinformation and negligence on energy/power issues...
From the newsletter:
October 2, 2000
Subject: NWRA DAILY CLIPPING SERVICE
From: Shannon Seglin, Legislative Intern
The NWRA Clipping Service is a daily collection of summarized news stories related to issues of interest to members of the National Water Resources Association. Members of the Association are encouraged to provide such news articles to the NWRA office to be circulated to all NWRA members. Should you have an article you would like to be circulated, please fax our office at (703) 524-1548 or e-mail nwra@nwra.org
Articles:
- U.S. Senator Slade Gorton Statement on FY2001 Interior Appropriations Bill
- Gorton Abandons Proposal for Dams
- New Mexico Legislator Launches Drive to Move Minnows
- Idaho’s American Falls Reservoir Drawdown Raises Concerns
- Concern for Salmon and Trout Stops Work on Amphitheater
- Endangered Shortnose Sturgeon Comes Back to N.Y.’s Hudson River
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Todd Young
September 29, 2000 202.224.4631
U.S. SENATOR SLADE GORTON STATEMENT ON
FY2001 INTERIOR APPROPRIATIONS BILL
Washington, D.C. - Final negotiations on the Fiscal Year 2001 Interior Appropriations bill were completed late last evening. The spending bill did not include Senator Slade Gorton’s measure to prevent the Clinton-Gore Administration from spending funds on dam removal in the coming year.
Today, Senator Gorton issued the following statement:
“It became clear that the White House was not going to sign an Interior bill that included my legislation to prevent any funds to be spent on dam removal next year. Every step of the way, the Clinton-Gore Administration fought my effort to keep them to their word.
"There is zero doubt that the Administration's goal is to leave the door open for Al Gore to decide to tear down the dams in Eastern Washington if he is elected President.
“I believe the people of Eastern Washington deserve some reassurance from this Administration. They want to keep dam removal on the table and let Al Gore decide the fate of the Snake River dams next year – and along with it the fate of Eastern Washington’s economy and way of life. The Vice President owes the people of the Northwest a straight answer on whether he supports or opposes dam removal.”
Gorton's provision simply would have held the Clinton-Gore Administration to its word that no funds will be used next year to either remove the dams or study dam removal. Gorton's provision was added to the Interior spending bill last Thursday after members of the House and Senate conference committee discussed, voted on and passed Gorton's proposed amendment.
The House and Senate are expected to consider and pass the Interior bill next week, and then send the bill to the President for his signature.
GORTON ABANDONS PROPOSAL FOR DAMS
Senator Slade Gorton (R-WA) abandoned efforts to prohibit the government from spending any money to consider removing four dams along the Snake River.
According to Seattle Post-Intelligencer Gorton withdrew his provisions on Sept. 28 during negotiations over an $18.7 million bill to finance the Interior Department and other land-management agencies.
Gorton was faced with a veto threat from the White House as well as objections from congressional Democrats and environmental groups, so he backed down.
With Gorton’s rider out of the picture, the bill is now likely to pass. The House and the Senate are expected to consider and pass it this week. The bill includes an increase in the account used to buy and protect environmentally significant land.
(Source: Pope, Charles. “Gorton backs down on his proposal for dams.” Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Sept. 30, 2000. seattlep-i.nwsource.com
NEW MEXICO LEGISLATOR LAUNCHES DRIVE TO MOVE MINNOWS
New Mexican state legislator Rep. Don Tripp (R) has launched a campaign to move endangered minnows out of the stretch of the Rio Grande that runs through his Socorro district.
According to ABQ Journal Tripp wants to increase support for an idea first proposed earlier this summer by Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM), to relocate Rio Grande Silvery minnows.
Tripp and Domenici both agree it would make more sense to move the minnows to habitat upstream than to continue efforts to keep the river wet between San Acacia and Elephant Butte Reservoir. That stretch of the river is home to 95 percent of the surviving minnows and is the area most prone to drying.
Short-term agreements were made this summer to use water from upstream reservoirs to keep the Rio Grande flowing. Tripp said using all the water for the minnow threatens the agricultural way of life in the Rio Grande valley near Socorro and could cost the area $10.5 million.
Environmentalists and biologists have praised Domenici’s proposal to restore upstream habitat for the minnow, but they have said moving the minnow cannot be the complete solution.
(Source: Soussan, Tania. “Legislator Launches Drive to Move Minnow Upstream.” ABQJournal. Sept. 30, 2000. abqjournal.com
IDAHO’S AMERICAN FALLS RESERVIOR DRAWDOWN RAISES CONCERNS
Idaho’s Power Co.’s decided this month to draw an additional 53,000 acre-feet of water from American Falls Reservoir for power generation.
According to Associated Press this action has raised concern about an endangered snail and downstream water quality.
The utility called for the water so it wouldn’t have to purchase more expensive electricity from other utilities to meet the demands of its customers.
However, the drawdown has created the possibility of leaving the Utah valvata aquatic snail in the Middle Snake River downstream from American Falls high and dry.
(Source: Associated Press. “American Falls Reservoir drawdown raises concerns.” Spokane.net. Sept. 29, 2000. spokane.net
CONCERN FOR SALMON AND TROUT STOPS WORK ON AMPHITHEATER
The completion of a 20,000-seat amphitheater in Washington will be delayed while federal officials study its effect on trout and salmon.
The amphitheater is being built by the Muckleshoot tribe and was expected to open next spring. However, according to Spokane.net this is unlikely because no work has been done during the late summer and early fall construction seasons.
Two federal agencies are studying how it would affect bull trout and Chinook salmon in the White River and its tributaries.
(Source: Associated Press. “Concern for fish stops work on amphitheater.” Spokane.net. Oct. 1, 2000. spokane.net |
