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Editorials 
4 Governors Agree To Work Together As Nw Salmon May Have Just 20 to 30 Years Left
The governors of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana have agreed to work together to rebuild the Columbia River system’s salmon and steelhead stocks. Read the full article: 4 Governors Agree To Work Together As Nw Salmon…
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Editorials Northwest RiverPartners Supports Goals of 4 Governors; Asks for Scientific Grounding To Ensure Best Outcome
Today, the governors of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana released a joint letter (see attached) committing to an effort to help recover threatened and endangered salmonid species in the Columbia River Basin. The governors have…
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Editorials Catastrophic Wildfires Prove It Is Time for a Consistent Green Energy Policy
Many Oregonians never imagined they’d face the extreme fires that we’ve repeatedly seen in California over the past decade. Alarmingly… Read the full article: Catastrophic Wildfires Prove It Is Time for a Consistent Green Energy…
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Editorials Pacific Northwest Draws Lessons From the California Energy Crisis
Kujala talked about how “the next plant” matters, meaning that each subsequent wind or solar farm should avoid redundancy and maximize regional contribution. Read the full article: Pacific Northwest Draws Lessons From the California Energy…
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Editorials California Blackouts a Warning for the Northwest
California experienced its first stage -3 electrical emergency since the western energy crisis devastated the region 20 years ago. The state’s grid operator had no choice but to purposely black out areas because it didn’t…
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Editorials We Can’t Afford To Gamble on Breaching Hydroelectric Dams
My father was a successful professional gambler for a period of his life, so we spent a lot of time at horse and dog racetracks across… Read the full article: We Can’t Afford To Gamble…
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Editorials Elliot Mainzer leaving Bonneville Power Administration to head California grid operator
Elliot Mainzer is stepping down as head of the Bonneville Power Administration after 7 years of guiding the federal agency — the linchpin of the Pacific Northwest energy system — through a period of rising…
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Editorials The Future of Hydropower Will Be Determined in the Pacific Northwest
It may surprise you to learn that hydropower is now viewed by many Pacific Northwest residents in the same light as coal and natural gas… Read the full article: The Future of Hydropower Will Be…
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Editorials Federal Study Says Keep Lower Snake River Dams. Environmental Groups Condemn Decision
A federal environmental study 4 years in the making rejects calls to breach the 4 lower Snake River dams. Instead, it recommends spilling more water over dams in the Columbia River hydro system, which includes…
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Editorials Final Environmental Impact Statement Completes 4 Year Federal Process; Settles Debate on the Value of the Lower Snake River Dams
Northwest RiverPartners Commends Thorough and Holistic EIS Process; Advocates Greater Efforts Around Climate to Support Salmon Recovery Northwest RiverPartners today welcomed the much anticipated Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) released by federal action agencies as…
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Editorials Does It Make Good Environmental Sense To Destroy Dams That Produce Carbon-Free Energy?
A major battle is brewing that could cost Northwest electricity customers billions, yet few know about it because it‘s not part of a legislative process. Read the full article: Does It Make Good Environmental Sense…
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Editorials Northwest clean-energy advocates eye pumped hydro to fill gaps, with tribes noting concerns
Many states – including Oregon and Washington – have set renewable energy goals. But, there’s a problem. The wind isn’t always blowing and the sun isn’t always shining. Advocates say pumped hydro could solve those…
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Editorials Is History Repeating Itself? 20th Anniversary of the Western Energy Crisis
It feels strange to use the word “crisis” in the face of a pandemic and international outcry against racism. Yet, it’s an incredibly appropriate description of where our region’s energy grid has been, and where…
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Editorials Are Northwest Dams Being Set Up To Fail?
The future of low-cost, carbon-free hydropower in the Northwest is in jeopardy. Due to recent regulatory developments in Oregon and Washington, and at the federal level, dam operators are facing new and unattainable rules that…
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Editorials EPA issues report analyzing heat pollution in Columbia, Snake rivers
Portland — Oregon and Washington regulators are taking steps to address high water temperatures in the Columbia and Snake rivers that impact migrating salmon and steelhead.
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Editorials Washington state aims to regulate water temperature at federal dams, wading into controversy
The Columbia is the great river of West, winding from the north to meet its largest tributary, the Snake in Eastern Washington, then dividing the states of Oregon and Washington on its push to the…
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Editorials Do Dams Really Impact River Temps in the Columbia/Snake Rivers? Here’s the Science.
Editor’s note: Today’s guest editorial was written by Kurt Miller, executive director for Northwest River Partners. Editorial content. Read the full article: Do Dams Really Impact River Temps in the Columbia/Snake Rivers? Here’s the Science.
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Editorials EPA Report: Dams Play Large Role in Raising Water Temperatures
The Environmental Protection Agency issued a report Tuesday detailing summertime water temperature problems on the lower Snake and Columbia rivers and assigning significant responsibility to federal dams. Read the full article: EPA Report: Dams Play…
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Editorials Northwest RiverPartners Urges Practicality & Transparency Over EPA River Temperature Report for Columbia & Snake River Dams
Vancouver, WA, May 20, 2020 – A report released by the Environmental Protection Agency on May 18 entitled “Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for Temperature in the Columbia and Lower Snake Rivers” outlines river temperature…
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Editorials For First Time, Federal Dam Operators Must Make Water Temperature Control Plan
In an historic action last week, the state Department of Ecology required federal operators of 8 dams on in the Columbia-Snake rivers to write a plan to keep the waters cold enough. Read the full…
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Editorials Depression Era’s ‘New Deal’ Given Renewed Purpose in Current Crisis
For many, the 2008 financial crisis was the greatest hardship Americans had endured in their lifetime. Even today, communities continue to bear the scars of that crash. Unfortunately, it’s clear now that the economic fallout…
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Editorials Public Meetings on the Dams End Successfully After Digital Pivot
On March 31st, the final public teleconference on the fate of the lower Snake River dams was met with an abundance of passionate callers. Read the full article: Public Meetings on the Dams End Successfully…
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Editorials In These Times of Crisis, Know That the Grid Is in Good Hands
We are in the midst of truly unprecedented times. Here in the Northwest, we have been on the front lines of the outbreak of COVID-19. Read the full article: In These Times of Crisis, Know…
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Editorials Breaching Dams Threatens Basic Necessity: Electricity
So far, my family and I have been very blessed regarding the novel coronavirus. None of us has shown any symptoms. The same holds. Read the full article: Breaching Dams Threatens Basic Necessity: Electricity
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Editorials Participate in the Federal Snake River Dams Public Process This Week — The Stakes Are High
At this time of national emergency, I’m reminded of the now pervasive British slogan from World War II, “Keep calm and carry on,” as we try to recover a sense of normalcy in the midst…
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Editorials Statement From NWRP in Response to Governor Inslee’s Final Draft Report on the Lower Snake River Dams
Report Shows Complexities, Dangers of Dam Breaching Vancouver, WA, March 13, 2020 — The final draft report on Washington state’s Lower Snake River Dams Stakeholder Process has been released, revealing wide-ranging issues and contentious opinions…
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Editorials A Different Kind of Battleground State – The Future of Hydroelectricity Will Be Determined in the Pacific Northwest
Energy Fairness is pleased to present the following op-ed concerning the attacks on the Northwest Hydropower System from Kurt Miller. Visit our Hydro 101 page. Read the full article: A Different Kind of Battleground State…
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Editorials Northwest RiverPartners Welcomes Federal Report’s Comprehensive Approach but Urges More Collaboration for a Clean & Equitable Energy Future
Re: Response to the release of the Columbia River System Operations Draft Environmental Draft Impact Statement (CRSO DEIS). The release of the CRSO DEIS symbolizes an important moment for the Northwest and is the most…
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Editorials Community Leaders Gather in Show of Support for Snake River Dams
The ‘to breach or not to breach’ conversation continued in Kennewick on Monday as community leaders gathered in support of the Snake River dams. Read the full article: Community Leaders Gather in Show of Support…
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Editorials Draft Federal Plan Recommends Keeping Lower Snake River Dams in Place
The Snake River dams in Washington would stay in place under the federal government’s preferred plan for the Columbia River System. On Friday federal agencies released a draft plan. BPA Snake Dams Fact Sheet 2016…
Contact: Aaron Toso, (253) 495-1296, Aaron Toso email
About Northwest RiverPartners
Northwest RiverPartners (NWRP) is a not-for-profit, member-driven organization. We represent not-for-profit, community-owned utilities across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Nevada. We also proudly represent farmers, ports, and businesses across the region that support clean energy and low-carbon transportation.
NWRP is focused on raising awareness about how the Northwest’s hydropower system betters communities and the natural environment, and we encourage science-based solutions that help hydropower and salmon coexist and thrive.