[4] CBFWA Asks For Millions More To Meet Critical Needs
Columbia Basin fish and wildlife managers say that funds unspent by BPA for the last two years of its fish and wildlife program should go to pay for "unmet and critical needs" for various projects submitted in the 2007 budget process.
CBFWA members outlined their concerns in a Nov. 21 letter to both BPA and the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries abstained to the letter.
The managers called on BPA and NPCC to collaborate with the agencies and tribes through CBFWA to funds those needs. They said some could be met with existing funds but an additional $28 million over the next two years may be needed.
CBFWA members identified 107 different projects with insufficient funding--about $25 million short in FY 08 and $31 million short in FY 09. They said two categories contained most of the shortfalls-- interim operational agreements ($7.2 million in 08) and monitoring and evaluation ($9.5 million in 08).
The interim agreements refer to deals made between BPA and some tribes to fund projects that did not make the cut in the NPCC budget process. BPA spent $3 million to pay for those projects, bypassing the Council itself, in order to secure tribal support for 2007 hydro operations. But CBFWA now wants more support for these "23 critical and essential projects," another $7.2 million in 2008 and $8.9 million in 2009.
CBWFA says more millions would be needed to boost funding for projects associated with premature in-lieu funding decisions.
The fish and wildlife agency has found its new budget chutzpa from a recent Ninth Circuit Court decision regarding BPA's 2000 rate case (Golden Northwest Aluminum v. BPA) that was decided last May. In their ruling, the Niners reiterated what they had found in an earlier decision (NW Resource Information Center) that BPA must "give substantial weight" to the analyses of fish and wildlife managers because they possess "unique experience and expertise." In that case, the court said BPA disregarded F&W managers' analysis that estimated the power agency had underestimated annual costs of its F&W program by $300 million a year.
In a letter to CBFWA members included in the Nov. 21 missive, CBFWA staffers said BPA's reopening of its rate case "presents an opportunity for the fish and wildlife managers to provide BPA with a recommended budget and supporting evidence to amend the funding level during this rate period for FY 08-09.
BPA spokesman Scott Sims said his agency is reviewing the CBFWA letter and plans a response, though it may take a few weeks. He said the fish and wildlife agencies would also have a chance to discuss their fiscal needs for the next budget period through the public venue process of the new rate case proceedings. -B. R.
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