06/03/05 Bi-Op ruling reignites dam debate

Farm and Ranch June 3, 2005 A recent federal court ruling that the Bush Administration's latest Biological Opinion, Bi-Op, on the Columbia/Snake hydropower system violated the Endangered Species Act has environmental and tribal groups again advocating for breaching the four lower Snake River dams. Attorney Jim Jesernig, who represents the potato industry, says going back down the road towards dam breaching raises concerns for agriculture. Jesernig: "You got a couple of problems that jump up almost immediately. First, you have the possibility of double-digit power increases which could be crippling to irrigators. It could be crippling to food processing or the food storage industries. Then also you have a transportation issue because whatever wheat is coming out of no just eastern Washington, but the northern tier states, has to find a home somewhere. And that will divert trucks and trains that are in short supply right now for potato growers. So it has all kind of negative implications if we can't come up something that will work. And right now the proposal from the federal government that would have been able to work has been struck down." What the judge struck down was a provision that the dams are part of the environmental baseline of river operations but he didn't say what federal agencies have to do to fix the problem. According to Jesernig, legal analysts believe an appeal to the Ninth Circuit would probably uphold the ruling, but there is a chance the U.S. Supreme Court would overturn it. That's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report. Brought to you in part by the Washington State Potato Commission. Nutrition today. Good health tomorrow. I'm Bob Hoff on the Northwest Ag Information Network.