Salmon Planning Act - Requires the Secretary of Commerce (Secretary) to enter into an arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences for scientific analysis of Federal salmon and steelhead recovery efforts.
Requires the Comptroller General to study the potential effects of partially removing the four lower Snake River dams, including those on: (1) the economy of surrounding communities; (2) water transportation; (3) irrigation; (4) energy production; and (5) the extinction of salmon and steelhead populations in Snake River.
Authorizes the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Corps of Engineers, to partially remove the dams if found necessary by: (1) the Secretary to restore Snake River salmon and steelhead populations to meet obligations under the Endangered Species Act of 1973; (2) the Secretary of the Interior to meet treaty obligations to Indian tribes or other sovereign nations; or (3) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to meet requirements of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act.
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1615 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1615
To ensure that proper planning is undertaken to secure the preservation
and recovery of the salmon and steelhead of the Columbia River basin
and the maintenance of reasonably priced, reliable power, to direct the
Secretary of Commerce to seek scientific analysis of Federal efforts to
restore salmon and steelhead listed under the Endangered Species Act of
1973, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 13, 2005
Mr. McDermott (for himself, Mr. Petri, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of
Texas, Mr. Leach, Mr. Farr, Mr. Shays, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Ramstad, Mr.
Kildee, Mr. Johnson of Illinois, Mr. Spratt, Mr. Walsh, Mrs. Tauscher,
Mr. Boehlert, and Mr. George Miller of California) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Resources, and
in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To ensure that proper planning is undertaken to secure the preservation
and recovery of the salmon and steelhead of the Columbia River basin
and the maintenance of reasonably priced, reliable power, to direct the
Secretary of Commerce to seek scientific analysis of Federal efforts to
restore salmon and steelhead listed under the Endangered Species Act of
1973, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Salmon Planning Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds and declares that--
(1) certain species of salmon and steelhead in the Columbia
and Snake River basin are on the brink of extinction as a
consequence of various factors, including hydroelectric
projects, harvest management practices, habitat degradation,
altered in-stream flow, and unsound hatchery practices;
(2) these salmon and steelhead have major economic,
ecological, educational, recreational, scientific, cultural,
and spiritual significance to the Nation and its people;
(3) salmon and steelhead are a symbol of the Northwest,
support thousands of jobs in coastal and inland communities,
and serve as an indicator of the health of Northwest river
ecosystems;
(4) the United States Government has signed treaties with
Indian tribes of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho and with the
Government of Canada creating a legally enforceable trust
responsibility to restore salmon populations to sustainable,
harvestable levels;
(5) since the construction of 4 Federal dams on the lower
Snake River in Washington, salmon and steelhead populations in
the Snake River have plummeted, and all salmon and steelhead in
the Snake River are extinct or listed under the Endangered
Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.);
(6) recent studies indicate that the time to protect
remaining Snake River salmon and steelhead is short, with
scientists estimating that, if changes do not occur, remaining
Snake River salmon will be extinct in our lifetime;
(7) salmon and steelhead extinction could cost taxpayers
billions of dollars;
(8) a federally funded group of State, tribal, Federal, and
independent scientists found that partially removing the 4
lower Snake River dams in Washington is the surest way to
protect and recover Snake River salmon and steelhead;
(9) several communities that rely on the 4 lower Snake
River dams would be affected by partial dam removal;
(10) a Federal court has found that the 4 lower Snake River
dams violate water quality standards under the Federal Water
Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.); and
(11) energy production in the Northwest is heavily
dependent upon hydropower and thus, the prospects for salmon
recovery and Northwest energy production are inextricably
linked.
(b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are--
(1) to ensure the protection of Columbia and Snake River
salmon and steelhead while providing for reliable, reasonably
priced energy in the Northwest, an economically sustainable
salmon recovery program, and effective mitigation of potential
economic impacts to communities from potential dam removal; and
(2) to ensure that the Northwest and the Nation have
completed the necessary planning and evaluation to respond
rapidly if major new actions are necessary to protect and
recover salmon and steelhead in the Columbia and Snake River
basin.
SEC. 3. SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS OF FEDERAL SALMON RECOVERY EFFORTS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 3 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall enter into an
arrangement with the National Academy of Sciences providing for
scientific analysis of Federal salmon recovery efforts and submission
of a report on the results of the analysis in accordance with
subsection (c).
(b) Contents.--For purposes of this section, scientific analysis
shall include, at a minimum, review of the effectiveness of Federal
salmon recovery actions, anticipated Federal salmon recovery actions,
and the timelines for, and feasibility of, implementing these actions.
These actions and anticipated actions shall be evaluated in terms of
whether they are likely to achieve recovery of salmon and steelhead
populations listed under section 4(c) of the Endangered Species Act of
1973 (16 U.S.C. 1533).
(c) Report.--Not later than 9 months after the date of enactment of
this Act, the National Academy of Sciences shall submit to the
Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of the
Interior, and the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
a report on the results of the scientific analysis conducted under this
section.
SEC. 4. GAO STUDY OF PARTIAL REMOVAL OF LOWER SNAKE RIVER DAMS.
(a) In General.--The Comptroller General of the United States shall
conduct a study of the potential effects of partially removing the 4
lower Snake River dams.
(b) Contents.--The study shall include examination of and
recommendation for addressing, at a minimum, the following:
(1) The economic effects of partial dam removal for
communities near the dams, upstream from the dams, and for
downstream and coastal communities, including downstream and
coastal communities located within the boundaries of Alaska and
Canada, including employment gains or losses that would result
from dam removal.
(2) The effects of partial dam removal on transportation by
water, including--
(A) the feasibility, costs, and sufficiency of
alternative transportation by railroad, highway, and
other means;
(B) the economic benefits and costs of such
alternatives;
(C) the environmental impact of shifting to such
alternatives;
(D) the means for mitigating any environmental harm
that might be caused by the use of such alternatives;
and
(E) any development or expansion of such
alternatives that would be required to continue moving
the same amount of cargo that is currently transported
by water.
(3) The effects of partial dam removal on irrigation,
including the availability of or need for alternatives to
replace irrigation water or to extend irrigation pumps.
(4) The effects of partial dam removal on energy
production, including the regional effects of any changes in
energy production, identification of renewable energy sources
or energy efficiency measures that could replace any loss in
energy production, and the benefits and costs of such
alternatives.
(5) The effects, including economic effects, of the
extinction of salmon and steelhead populations in the Snake
River.
(c) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to each of the
Secretary of the Army, the Secretary of Commerce, and the Administrator
of the Environmental Protection Agency a report on the results of the
study conducted under this section.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION AND PLANNING OF SALMON RECOVERY.
(a) Partial Dam Removal Authorization.--The Secretary of the Army,
acting through the Corps of Engineers, is authorized to partially
remove the 4 lower Snake River dams if--
(1) the Secretary of Commerce finds that such action is
necessary to restore Snake River salmon and steelhead
populations to meet obligations under the Endangered Species
Act of 1973 (33 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.);
(2) the Secretary of the Interior finds that such action is
necessary to meet treaty obligations to Indian tribes or other
sovereign nations; or
(3) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency finds that such action is necessary to meet requirements
of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et
seq.).
(b) Preliminary Planning Work.--The Secretary of the Army shall
undertake such preliminary engineering, design, construction, and other
activities as may be necessary to remove the 4 lower Snake River dams
pursuant to subsection (a). This work shall be completed within 12
months after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(c) Funding.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the
Secretary of the Army $4,000,000 to carry out subsection (b). Such sums
shall remain available until expended.
SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act, the following definitions apply:
(1) Federal salmon recovery actions.--The term ``Federal
salmon recovery actions'' means Federal actions required to
protect and restore salmon and steelhead in the Columbia and
Snake River basin that are listed under section 4(c) of the
Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1533(c)).
(2) Lower snake river dams.--The term ``4 lower Snake River
dams'' means the following dams on the Snake River, Washington:
(A) The Ice Harbor dam.
(B) The Lower Monumental dam.
(C) The Little Goose dam.
(D) The Lower Granite dam.
(3) Populations.--The term ``populations'' means the 12
evolutionarily significant units of salmon and steelhead in the
Columbia and Snake River basin that are listed under section
4(c) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1533(c)).
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.
Executive Comment Requested from Commerce.
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