Governors, Tribal Leaders Support Resolution of Columbia River Differences Through Collaboration
Portland, December 16, 2005

On Thursday, Oregon federal district court Judge James Redden indicated a proposal by environmental plaintiffs to use more Columbia River water next year for fish needs more vetting and regional discussion. The Court also commended federal agencies, tribes and the states for working together on salmon recovery issues and urged them to continue their efforts during the coming year.

Kootenai Tribal Chairperson Jennifer Porter said, “The Kootenai Tribe and its partners in the regional coalition are heartened by the message Judge Redden has repeatedly sent out concerning the need for collaboration. The Kootenai Tribe believes that responsible sovereignty demands collaboration among all impacted sovereigns and interested stakeholders. Without it, we will not achieve restoration without causing continuing conflict for generations to come.”

A regional coalition, consisting of the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, the Spokane Tribe of Indians, a BPA customer group of regional utilities and businesses, and the states of Washington and Montana formed to respond to the plaintiffs’ request.

“We are not opposed to salmon recovery, in fact we support it. We are opposed to the broken process of salmon recovery,” Greg Abrahamson, chairman of the Spokane Tribe of Indians, stated. “There has never been a place to effectively resolve these complex issues. We need a forum that is open, accessible and transparent where all issues can be addressed. We are hopeful that Judge Redden’s forthcoming order on collaboration is that process,” he concluded.

The coalition believes that these fishery management issues need to be resolved through collaboration and the use of independent science. The upriver tribes feel particularly strong about this given that the plaintiffs’ proposed drawdown of Lake Roosevelt would have exposed Native American burial sites, a point made strongly by Spokane Tribe’s legal counsel during oral arguments.

“We have heard the message repeatedly from Judge Redden over this past year. The sovereign parties need to get together and work through their differences. This is something we have had to do as a coalition,” said Washington Governor Chris Gregoire, “and what must be done on all the key management issues facing the Columbia River.” Acknowledging the dueling declarations and science that have been used throughout this litigation, Gregoire continued, “We see a lot of uncertainty. That’s why I have been a strong advocate for a greater reliance upon independent science to resolve some of these very tough issues.”

Looking ahead, the coalition is pushing for a new paradigm for the way we manage the Columbia River. Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer noted, “It’s a new day, we need to toss the old way of doing business. The Columbia Basin involves multiple jurisdictions and interests. We’re in this all together and we have to find ways to solve our problems. Management through collaboration and fresh thinking is exactly what we need.” The Court has ordered the federal agencies, tribes and states to develop a new Columbia River management plan, called a Biological Opinion, over the next year.

Harvey Moses, Chairman of the Colville Tribes, commented, “We are encouraged that Judge Redden has indicated he will not order a drawdown of Lake Roosevelt so that the many parties can attempt to resolve flow issues in a less adversarial, and more thoughtful setting. We believe he has heard the concerns of the upriver tribes, including the Colville Tribes. The public needs to understand that not all tribes support the single-purpose agenda of the environmental plaintiffs in this complex lawsuit.

In response to the plaintiffs’ claim that additional spill over the dams will promote greater fish survival, the Court hinted that it would grant the request of the plaintiffs for more summer spill, but also indicated it needed more time to review the plaintiffs call for more spring spill.

The coalition’s approach is to clarify that salmon recovery issues are not simply about fish versus hydro-power production and economic development, or that all Indian tribes agree with the environmental plaintiffs. John Saven of the BPA Customer Group stated “Our coalition came about from having a strong appreciation and understanding for others’ interests, and a desire to find workable solutions based in good science”. The coalition argued in the court proceedings that its own formation is a good example of the potential for the kind of positive collaboration that is needed for resolving the flow issues as well as for bringing sound science into the process.