Before the draft Biops for the hydro system and Upper Snake operations even hit the Internet this week, the latest attempt by NOAA Fisheries to satisfy a federal judge was taking flak from environmental groups, who started up a new round of dam breaching rhetoric, claiming it was too little, and too late to aid ESA-listed Snake River salmon and steelhead stocks. ...more

State agencies briefed the Northwest Power and Conservation Council last week on the upcoming process to revise the Columbia Basin's fish and wildlife program. ...more

Idaho's congressional delegation--all four of them--have circled their wagons around appropriations-bill language inserted by Idaho Sen. Larry Craig calling on the U.S. Secretary of Interior to implement the 2005 Upper Snake BiOp a federal judge has ruled illegal. ...more

Jim Yost, a long-time adviser to Idaho governors on natural resources issues, has been named to succeed Jim Kempton as one of two members representing the state on the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, Gov. Butch Otter announced Oct. 16. ...more