The Bush administration has issued its fifth court-ordered plan for making Columbia Basin hydroelectric dams and southern Idaho irrigation projects safe for endangered salmon. The plan, released by the National Fisheries Service, outlines modifications to the dams, including changes in dam operations, expanded and improved hatchery operations, predator control and improvements to river habitat. But conservationists and fishing advocates say this latest plan ignores science, economics, and the people who rely on the fish for their livelihoods. Todd True is the Senior Managing attorney with EarthJustice:The next step will be up to U.S. District Judge James Redden in Portland to decide whether the plan meets the demands of the Endangered Species Act. Redden rejected the federal government's 2004 salmon plan, because it did not meet federal mandates for protecting salmon.
- KBOO