![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.oreca.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/salmon-success.jpg\")
\nJuly 6, 2017<\/p>\n
\nJuly 6, 2017<\/p>\n
Governor Kate Brown
\nState Capitol Building
\n900 Court Street NE, 160
\nSalem, OR 97301<\/p>\n
Dear Governor Brown:<\/p>\n
As leaders of Oregon\u2019s consumer-owned utilities, we are writing in the spirit of collaboration to urge the state of Oregon to constructively participate with the rest of the region on the operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System. Unfortunately, this collaboration has been sorely lacking even though we share a common interest in advancing salmon restoration in our great state. Meeting endangered species responsibilities to protect salmon is an important part of being good stewards of the Columbia River System. Moreover, we believe partnerships that shift relationships from adversarial to collaborative are the best way to identify opportunities to improve salmon survival.<\/p>\n
By any measure, we have made enormous progress. Salmon and steelhead species in the Columbia and Snake rivers have increased significantly since the first Endangered Species Act (ESA) listings in the 1990s. Based on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data, chinook numbers have more than tripled, and wild steelhead numbers have doubled in that time. Hatchery fish display similar trends and help conserve the genetic resources of the species by providing a safety net in times of poor climate and ocean conditions. Our utility customers cover most of the costs of the programs that produce these results. We are proud of these achievements, but it is important to note they come at a significant cost to our consumers.<\/p>\n
Providing safe fish passage through the eight federal dams on the lower Columbia and Snake rivers is the centerpiece of regional efforts to mitigate the impacts of dams on juvenile salmon and steelhead. Surface passage systems are now operating at all federal dams on the lower Columbia and Snake rivers. Surface passage has reduced the percentage of fish that go through powerhouses (i.e., turbines), decreased fish travel time through the system, and increased overall fish survival. The juvenile survival performance standard target is 96 percent for yearling chinook and steelhead. This standard metric was developed through sovereign collaboration. The rigorous method for testing and satisfying the standard is reviewed by independent scientists and demonstrates that all eight federal dams are on track to meet performance standards.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, the state of Oregon filed a request for injunctive relief with the U.S. District Court seeking even more spring spill at the dams, which can have negative consequences for fish and increases electricity costs for Northwest ratepayers. Oregon\u2019s request is estimated to reduce hydropower generation by about 815 average megawatts over the April to June period. This approach could cost about $40 million a year on average in reduced revenues and\/or increased power acquisition costs. It is undeniable the impact of additional spill will fall disproportionately on consumers in areas of the state with lower household incomes, particularly rural areas.<\/p>\n
Moreover, this loss of hydroelectric generation is also contrary to the state\u2019s carbon reduction goals, as it will increase purchases of power on the wholesale market of fossil-fueled generation\u2014potentially adding carbon equivalent to a 1.7 percent increase annually above current Pacific Northwest electricity sector carbon emissions.<\/p>\n
Your personal leadership is required to bring the state of Oregon to the table with other Northwest states, federal agencies and tribes to construct a plan for additional spill for 2018 to comply with the district court\u2019s order. As this process unfolds, we urge you to consider economic and societal impacts on lower-income communities and the impacts on meeting our state\u2019s carbon goals\u2014 both issues for which you have been outspoken. We are interested to hear your vision for salmon restoration and affordable electric rates and stand ready to meet with you to formulate a plan that strikes an appropriate balance between energy production, the economy and our state\u2019s environment.<\/p>\n
Thank you for your consideration.<\/p>\n
Mark Holden, Director
\nAshland Municipal Electric Utility<\/p>\n
Joe Jarvis, General Manager
\nBlachly-Lane Electric Cooperative<\/p>\n
Dan Murphy, General Manager
\nCanby Utility<\/p>\n
Dave Markham, President and CEO
\nCentral Electric Cooperative<\/p>\n
Debra Smith, General Manager
\nCentral Lincoln PUD<\/p>\n
Robert Mawson, City Manager
\nCity of Bandon<\/p>\n
Gordon Zimmerman, City Administrator
\nCity of Cascade Locks<\/p>\n
Steve Dahl, City Administrator
\nCity of Drain<\/p>\n
Marc Farmer, General Manager
\nClatskanie PUD<\/p>\n
Tom Wolff, General Manager
\nColumbia Basin Electric Cooperative<\/p>\n
Troy Cox, General Manager
\nColumbia Power Cooperative<\/p>\n
John Nguyen, General Manager
\nColumbia River PUD<\/p>\n
Roman Gillen, President and CEO
\nConsumers Power Inc.<\/p>\n
Roger Meader CEO
\nCoos-Curry
\nElectric Cooperative<\/p>\n
Werner Buehler
\nInterim General Manager
\nDouglas Electric Cooperative<\/p>\n
Scott Coe, General Manager
\nEmerald PUD<\/p>\n
Keith Hormann, Acting Director
\nForest Grove Light and Power<\/p>\n
Fred Flippence, General Manager
\nHarney Electric Cooperative<\/p>\n
Nate Rivera, Electric Utility Superintendent
\nHermiston Energy Services<\/p>\n
John Gerstenberger, General Manager
\nHood River Electric Cooperative<\/p>\n
Matt Michel, General Manager
\nLane Electric Cooperative<\/p>\n
Kem M. Carr, General Manager
\nMcMinnville Water and Light<\/p>\n
Dave Schneider, General Manager
\nMidstate Electric Cooperative<\/p>\n
Chuck Thurman, Electric Superintendent
\nMonmouth Power and Light<\/p>\n
Roger Kline, General Manager
\nNorthern Wasco County PUD<\/p>\n
Les Penning, CEO
\nOregon Trail Electric Cooperative<\/p>\n
Beth Looney, CEO
\nPacific Northwest Generating Cooperative<\/p>\n
Terry Kelly, General Manager
\nSalem Electric<\/p>\n
Frank Lawson, General Manager
\nEugene Water and Electric Board<\/p>\n
Jeff Nelson, General Manager
\nSpringfield Utility Board<\/p>\n
Brad Kresge, General Manager
\nSurprise Valley Electrification Corp.<\/p>\n
Todd Simmons, General Manager
\nTillamook PUD<\/p>\n
Robert Echenrode, CEO
\nUmatilla Electric Cooperative<\/p>\n
Lonnie Rainville, General Manager
\nUmpqua Indian Utility Cooperative<\/p>\n
Jeff Davis, General Manager
\nWasco Electric Cooperative<\/p>\n
Bob Perry, General Manager
\nWest Oregon Electric Cooperative<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
July 6, 2017 Governor Kate Brown State Capitol Building 900 Court Street NE, 160 Salem, OR 97301 Dear Governor Brown: As leaders of Oregon\u2019s consumer-owned utilities, we are writing in the spirit of collaboration to urge the state of Oregon to constructively participate with the rest of the region on the operation of the Federal […]\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":32847,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[232],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oreca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32846"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oreca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oreca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oreca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oreca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32846"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.oreca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32846\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oreca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32847"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oreca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32846"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oreca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32846"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.oreca.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32846"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}