News Release ArchiveFish Price Tag Demands Ongoing Scrutiny
While $802 million may not seem like a lot when Congress is struggling to come up with trillions of dollars to reduce the nation’s debt, it is a very real figure to people here in the Northwest who pay it. And when you add $802 million to the decades-long tally, Northwest families and businesses have put $11.8 billion toward fish and wildlife since 1978. While $802 million may not seem like a lot when Congress is struggling to come up with trillions of dollars to reduce the nation’s debt, it is a very real figure to people here in the Northwest who pay it. And when you add $802 million to the decades-long tally, Northwest families and businesses have put $11.8 billion toward fish and wildlife since 1978.
What are we really paying for? Quite simply, these costs are incurred to comply with laws that are intended to protect salmon and other critters and to mitigate for the impacts of the federal dams. The costs include many things: habitat restoration, construction and maintenance of fish hatcheries, new technologies to help fish pass by dams, and changes in hydro operations and river flows to get fish downstream. One of Northwest RiverPartners most critical jobs is to see that we are getting our money’s worth. The Northwest Power and Conservation Council is the focus of much of that effort. We are working with the Council, BPA and our industry allies to contain escalating fish and wildlife costs and to evaluate whether measures we pay for are delivering real benefits. Just as Congress is struggling to cut the federal budget, we know it is tough to make inroads into institutionalized expenditures. A case in point: this spring, RiverPartners joined with the Public Power Council, PNGC Power and Northwest Requirements utilities, to zero in on a group of ongoing research, monitoring and evaluation projects under review by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. Our team determined at least half of the $34 million spent on these “Group B” projects should be eliminated from BPA’s program. Why? For starters, independent science reviewers had problems with many of the projects. And many aren’t related to impacts of the federal dams, which is BPA’s mitigation responsibility under the law. Take for example, coded-wire tags that state biologists use to mark hatchery fish and distinguish where they come from. BPA customers pay millions of dollars for these tags used primarily to manage fish harvest. Sturgeon? Customers shell out for sturgeon studies when the main problem these fish are experiencing is one of over-harvest. And research in the ocean? It’s interesting, but why should BPA customers fork over nearly $4 million annually to fund it, when most of the dollars go to another federal agency, NOAA Fisheries. Despite our good arguments, it looks like these projects will continue at least for some time. We wish the Council had made immediate reductions, but we made progress and will continue to work with them and our team to press for cuts. Fish and wildlife budgets have to be transparent, accountable and clearly target BPA’s mitigation responsibilities. We must find savings and reprioritize funds to ensure that dollars from Northwest families and businesses go to on-the-ground efforts that directly benefit fish and wildlife – not to “nice but not necessary” research or to shore up bureaucracies. Nothing says that more clearly than an $802 million annual price tag, and an $11.8 billion cumulative total!
For more information, please visit www.nwriverpartners.org. TWANOH TERRACE WATER SYSTEM CUSTOMERS!!WATER OUTAGE!! FRIDAY, JUNE 3, 2011 9:00 AM TO 1:00 PM WE WILL BE INSTALLING A SOURCE METER WHICH WILL REQUIRE THAT THE WATER BE SHUT OFF UNTIL THE SOURCE METER COMPLETELY INSTALLED. THE SYSTEM WILL BE FLUSHED AND CHLORINATED AFTERWARDS. WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE THE OUTAGE TO LAST BEYOND THE SPECIFIED TIME. PLEASE PREPARE FOR THIS OUTAGE BY HAVING EXTRA DRINKING WATER FOR THAT DAY, AND MAKE SURE TO TURN OFF YOUR WATER HEATER AT THE SERVICE PANEL. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CALL OUR OFFICE AT 877-5249 Minerva Terrace Water System12/21/2010 Boil Water Advisory Lifted Mason County PUD No. 1 lifts the Boil Water Advisory effective December 21, 2010. This advisory was set October 13, 2010 after positive E. coli samples from the well and distribution system. We are able to lift the advisory now that we are chlorinating and nine samples from the distribution system came back satisfactory. The source of the contamination was never identified; it may have been due to the heavy rains in September and early October. The water will continue to be chlorinated as we evaluate long term options which may allow us to stop chlorination, possibly in late 2012. The District appreciates your patience during the boil water advisory. For more information, contact Jocelyne Gray at (360) 877-5249 or at 21971 N. HWY 101. Please share this notice with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail. Thank you for your
patience, This notice is being
delivered to you by Mason County PUD No. 1. News ReleaseCanal Mutual Water System 11/18/2010 Boil Water Advisory Lifted Mason County PUD No. 1 lifts the Boil Water Advisory effective November 18, 2010. This advisory was set October 13, 2010 after positive E. coli samples from the well and distribution system. We are able to lift the advisory now that we are chlorinating and ten samples from the distribution system came back satisfactory. The source of the contamination was never identified; it may have been due to the heavy rains in September and early October. The water will continue to be chlorinated as we evaluate long term options which may allow us to stop chlorination, possibly in late 2011.The District appreciates your patience during the boil water advisory. Well 3 is currently serving the water system, but we will be switching back to Well 4 with the chlorination. While we are on Well 3, please conserve water as the capacity of the well is much lower than Well 4. We will let you know when Well 4 is back on line. For more information, contact Jocelyne Gray at (360) 877-5249 or at 21971 N. HWY 101. Please share this notice with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail. Thank you for your patience, This notice is being delivered to you by Mason County PUD No. 1. Date Distributed: 11 / 18 / 2010 News ReleaseMinerva Terrace Water
System We are working towards a long term solution so we can eventually remove the chlorination. For more information, contact Jocelyne Gray at (360) 877-5249 or at 21971N HWY 101.Please share this notice with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly ( for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail. Thank you for your patience, Date Distributed: 11/03/2010 News Release10/18/2010 If you feel ill, go to the Mason County
Public Health Department News Release10/15/2010 If you have any questions, please call the
District's Water Department at 877-5249 or toll free
1-800-544-4223 News ReleaseThe Mason County PUD 1 Board of Commissioners has scheduled a public hearing to be held at the District’s regular Board meeting to discuss and receive public input regarding the Water System Plans for the Hood Canal “A” & “B” Water Systems. The public hearing for the Hood Canal Water System Water System Plans will begin at 1:00 pm on October 12, 2010 at the District office at 21971 Hwy 101 in Potlatch. The District’s regular Board of Commissioners meeting will follow the completion of the public hearing on October 12, 2010 at the District office at 21971 Hwy 101 in Potlatch. News ReleaseMeeting Notice Mason County PUD #1
Commissioners will be attending the Tri-Party Waste Water Sewer
meeting with Congressman Norm Dicks. The meeting will be held
on September 20th, 2010 at 8:30 am at the Mason County
Commissioners Chambers. News ReleaseCustomer Appreciation Day BBQ at Mason County PUD No.1 Friday, September 24th "Bag of goodies" with informational materials and CFL bulb News ReleaseSewer Project - Public Meeting A public meeting to present information on the new sewer system projects for the Potlatch area, central Skokomish Indian Reservation area, and the community of Hoodsport will be held at the following time, date, and place: When: 6 PM,
Thursday evening, September 2nd, 2010 News ReleasesMason County PUD No. 1 Commissioner, Jack Janda is re-elected to the Energy Northwest Executive BoardEnergy Northwest develops, owns and operates a diverse mix of electricity generating resources, including hydro, solar and wind projects – and the Northwest’s only nuclear power plant. These projects provide enough reliable, affordable and environmentally responsible energy to power more than a million Washington homes each year, and that carbon-free electricity is provided at the cost of generation. As a Washington state joint operating agency, Energy Northwest comprises 28 public power member utilities from across the state serving more than 1.5 million ratepayers. The agency continually explores new generation projects to meet its members’ needs. Energy Northwest’s board of directors has sole authority to authorize and terminate Energy Northwest projects. The executive board has 11 members; five elected from the board of directors, three appointed by the board of directors from outside Energy Northwest, and the remaining three appointed by the governor of Washington. Energy Northwest’s board of directors elected five of its members on April 21, 2010 to serve a four-year term on the public power agency’s eleven-member executive board. The agency’s executive board is responsible for setting policy and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the organization. The new term begins June 17th. The election began with 10 individuals vying for the board’s five elected positions. Jack Janda, commissioner for Mason County PUD No. 1 was re-elected to the executive board. Jack Janda was elected to the Mason County PUD 1 Board of Commissioners in 2001, and currently serves as vice-president of the board. Commissioner Janda was appointed to the Energy Northwest Board of Directors in January 2003. He was elected by the board of directors to serve on the executive board in January 2005. In April 2006, he was re-elected to serve another term on the executive board. In addition he has served as secretary/treasurer, vice president and president of the Columbia Generating Station Participants Review Board. While serving on the Mason PUD 1 Commission, he has represented the utility on the Washington Public Utility District Association and has served on the WPUDA board as secretary/treasurer, vice president and president. Commissioner Janda also served as first chair of the WPUDA Energy Committee in 2008. “A spirit of public service and community leadership surrounded the elections,” said Judy Ridge, board of director’s president and Asotin County Public Utility District commissioner. “It’s this spirit that makes public power an invaluable asset to the Pacific Northwest.” Speaking during the consortium’s quarterly board of directors meeting, Ridge said, “To those of you who were elected, you represent public power leadership in Washington State. Stay focused on the agency’s responsibility to aggregate public power resources to continue providing affordable, reliable power for the region’s ratepayers.” CHERRY PARK WATER SYSTEM CUSTOMERS!!WATER OUTAGE!! FRIDAY, APRIL 2, 2010 REPAIRS WILL BE MADE TO THE WATER SYSTEM THAT WILL REQUIRE THE WATER BE SHUT OFF UNTIL THEY ARE COMPLETED. WE DO NOT ANTICIPATE THE OUTAGE TO LAST BEYOND THE SPECIFIED TIME. PLEASE PREPARE FOR THIS OUTAGE BY HAVING EXTRA DRINKING WATER FOR THAT DAY, AND BE SURE TO TURN OFF YOUR WATER HEATER AT THE SERVICE PANEL. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CALL THE DISTRICT’S WATER DEPARTMENT AT 877-5249.News ReleaseThe Mason County PUD No. 1 Board of Commissioners has scheduled a Public Hearing for all PUD owned water systems at the Hood Canal School Library located at the junction of Hwy 101 and Hwy 106. The meeting is scheduled for March 2, 2010 from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss and receive comments on the Water Use Efficiency Goals and Measures required by the State Department of Heath. News ReleaseThe Mason County PUD No. 1 Board of Commissioners has scheduled a Water Use Efficiency Workshop for January 20th, 2010 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the District office in Potlatch. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss water use goals and measures for the PUD owned water systems. News ReleaseThe Mason County PUD NO. 1 Board of Commissioners and Staff have scheduled a pre-pubic rate hearing workshop for Friday January 8, 2010 at 10:00 am at the District Office in Potlatch. The purpose of the workshop is to prepare discussions for the Electric Public Rate Hearing scheduled for January 12, 2010 from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Hoodsport Fire Hall. News ReleaseThe Mason County PUD No. 1 Board of Commissioners has scheduled a Public Rate Hearing for January 12, 2010 from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Hoodsport Fire Hall. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss a proposed 4% electric rate increase for 2010 and receive public comments and answer customer’s questions. The regular Board of Commissioners meeting schedule for January 12, 2010 has been changed. The regular Board meeting is scheduled for 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm at the District office in Potlatch. |
There is nothing like an $802 million price tag to prompt a lot of reflection. The figure is Bonneville Power Administration’s 2010 fish and wildlife expenditures. As a trade publication recently put it, the expenditures amount to $340 per chinook, sockeye and steelhead that passed Bonneville Dam in 2010.
About one-third of what a public utility pays BPA for power goes to fish and wildlife expenditures. That translates to about $15 to $20 a month out of a $100 retail electric bill.
Terry Flores is Executive Director of Northwest River Partners, an alliance of farmers, utilities, ports and businesses that promote the economic and environmental benefits of the Columbia and Snake Rivers and salmon recovery policies based on sound science.
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