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PNWA Staff Update

PNWA Staff Update. Glenn Vanselow Executive Director Kristin Meira Government Relations Director. FCRPS BiOp. Biological Opinion Lawsuit Final BiOp issued May 2008 Challenged in court by: National Wildlife Federation, et al State of Oregon Nez Perce Tribe Defended by: Federal Agencies

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PNWA Staff Update

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  1. PNWA Staff Update Glenn Vanselow Executive Director Kristin MeiraGovernment Relations Director

  2. FCRPSBiOp

  3. Biological Opinion Lawsuit • Final BiOp issued May 2008 • Challenged in court by: • National Wildlife Federation, et al • State of Oregon • Nez Perce Tribe • Defended by: • Federal Agencies • States of Washington, Idaho, Montana • Warm Springs, Yakima, Umatilla, Colville, Salish-Kootenai Tribes • Navigation (IPNG) • Bonneville Customers (NWRP) • Irrigators (CSRIA, WA Farm Bureau

  4. Biological Opinion Lawsuit • Unprecedented collaboration • Fish Accords (6 Tribes, 3 states) • Obama Administration review • Judge Redden guidance letter • Issues in play • Validity of jeopardy standard • NOAA’s judgment that all 13 stocks are “trending toward recovery” • Additional actions sought by Redden • Contingency plan and dam breaching

  5. BiOp-Related Activities • Dam breach advocates aggressive campaign • Administration • Congress • Media • Outdoor businesses • Calls for new, “inclusive” collaboration • Plaintiffs • A few Members of Congress

  6. PNWA Supports/Defends Navigation • Key messages: • The science-based collaboration has worked • Support the BiOp • The BiOp provides: • More funding… • More actions… • More certainty… • More cooperation… • More promise… • for rebuilding fish runs than this region has ever seen • Climate change benefits of dams • Dam breaching is not the answer

  7. Barging is the lowest cost, most fuel efficient & least polluting mode of transportation. Fuel Efficiency (ton-miles per gallon) Emissions (grams per ton mile) Each year, barging keeps 700,000 trucks off the highways through the sensitive airshed of the Columbia River Gorge

  8. Hydropower is clean, carbon free, renewable and reliable. It would take 3 coal-fired, or six gas-fired power plants to replace the average annual power produced by the four Snake River dams. It would take 6 coal-fired, or 14 gas-fired power plants to provide the average peaking capacity of the four Snake River dams.

  9. 1992 Snake River drawdown test Lower Granite Reservoir, Clarkston, WA. March 17, 1992 Dam Breaching is not the answer The Red Wolf Marina was destroyed and went bankrupt

  10. 1992 Snake River drawdown test Lower Granite Reservoir, Clarkston, WA. March 17, 1992 Tributaries were cut off from the mainstem of the Snake River Thousands of smolts and adult fish were stranded and killed

  11. Recent PNWA Actions • Federal agencies’ strategy on: • Administration review • Redden response • Defense coalition strategy • Met with Dr. Lubchenco in DC • Met with Congressional delegation • Idaho Statesman Sunday op-ed • Keep coalition together • IPNG strategy and activity

  12. BiOp Overview • PNWA supports this collaboration • PNWA supports the Biop • The dams provide environmental benefits • Dam breaching is not the answer

  13. BiOp’s Future • Administration review is key - due August 14 • Outcome in court is uncertain • Redden’s decision will be appealed, either way • Plaintiffs will continue to be aggressive • We have been winning • Navigation will remain fully functioning over the long run • But only if we carry on the fight

  14. Review ofour navigationefforts

  15. PNWA is delivering on policy • Working to resolve deep draft and inland navigation trust fund issues • Making progress on regulatory challenges in our region • WRDA success in 2007: dredge fleet restrictions lifted • Section 214 extended, with continued effort to make permanent • Snake River PSMP moving forward • Channel deepening, jetty repairs, and inland project priorities advanced • PNWA: Successfully advocating for transportation,trade, energy, tourism and the environment

  16. NavigationFundingReview

  17. PNWA is delivering on appropriations • Total funding increase: over $166 million in last seven years • Average annual funding increase: $24.2 million per year • Average number of projects increased: 11 projects per year • Average number of projects increased from zero: 6 projects per year • PNWA is the only regional group that consistently deliverssignificant funding increases for Northwest navigationprojects – even when national Corps budgets are constrained

  18. 2009 is a unique and challenging year, because … • FY2009 funding was not finalized until March 11, 2009 • This is over five months after the fiscal year began • Corps funding was rolled into “omnibus” with most other domestic spending • Channel deepening received $34.5M • Many coastal projects received increases over the budget amounts

  19. 2009 is a unique and challenging year, because … • ARRA funding for the Corps was greatly delayed • Corps received $4.6B in the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” (stimulus package) • OMB nitpicking delayed the Corps’ ability to finalize their project lists for over seven weeks • Corps project lists were released on April 28th • A number of PNWA projects were stimulus beneficiaries: • Columbia River channel deepening: $26.6M • Tillamook Bay & Bar (Port of Garibaldi): $13.9M • John Day lock gate and tainter valves: $19M • Coos Bay: $4.5M • The Dalles tainter valves: $3M • Lake Washington Ship Canal: $2M • Port of Siuslaw: $1.9M • Port of Umpqua: $659K • Port of Toledo: $640K

  20. 2009 is a unique and challenging year, because … • The Corps FY2010 budget details were not released until May 19, 2009 • OMB continues to exercise extraordinary oversight in Corps budget creation • The Corps budget details were released after House and Senate members had closed out their appropriations requests • PNWA is seeking a $52.5M increase for our supported projects, including: • Maintenance for Columbia & Lower Willamette, and channel to the Dalles • Coos Bay jetty major maintenance report • All eight inland navigation projects, including $14M for LoMo lock gate • Columbia River at Baker Bay (Port of Ilwaco) • Skipanon Channel (Port of Astoria) • Mt. St. Helens sediment control • Elliott Bay Seawall study and maintenance for Duwamish/Seattle Harbor and Lake Washington Ship Canal • Humboldt Bay Shoal Management study and maintenance dredging

  21. Despite challenges, PNWA is making progress on … • Channel deepening • MCR jetties • Coastal projects • Inland projects • Puget Sound projects

  22. WRDAOutlook

  23. New WRDA unlikely until 2010 at the earliest • House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee (T&I) requested submissions for a new WRDA in early 2008 • PNWA staff polled membership for project and policy needs • Section 214 permanence is high priority policy request • PNWA is working with Corps and Congress to address improvements to the authority • Two ports have project submissions • Highly unlikely WRDA will be enacted this year • PNWA is laying foundation for success when a new WRDA is passed • WRDA is one potential vehicle for new user fees, or changes to existing user fees

  24. HarborMaintenanceTrustFund

  25. Harbor Maintenance Tax revenue is not fully spent • Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund (HMTF) was designed to collect funds to pay for 100% of navigation O&M • Administrations have used some of those funds to balance the budget • Current tally of unexpended receipts is over $4.7 billion • It is expected to grow to $8 billion by 2011 • Approximately $500M per year is unexpended • Fund grows while O&M remains underfunded • PNWA has long advocated for increased HMTF expenditures for navigation maintenance

  26. Several proposals to address the HMTF “surplus” • RAMP proposal would legislate spending all HMT receipts collected on navigation maintenance • Other proposals would divert HMT funds for alternate purposes • PNWA supports: • Protect trust funds to ensure that all transportation user fees collected are dedicated and used for their stated transportation infrastructure maintenance and development purposes; • Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund: Support spending from the Trust Fund to fully maintain the nation’s ports, waterways and harbors. Ensure that the existing Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT) is fully spent for navigation purposes; • Freight Transportation Fund: Create a dedicated national Freight Trust Fund (FTF) to meet port intermodal, rail and highway needs that is funded by sources other than existing navigation user taxes.

  27. InlandWaterwaysTrustFund

  28. Proposed lockage fee for barges • Bush, and now Obama Administration … Looking for more revenue • Towboaters currently pay a 20 cent/gallon tax that goes into the Inland Waterways Trust Fund • IWTF pays for 50% of Corps construction and major rehab projects on the inland waterways • About $90 million is generated annually, which is insufficient to keep pace with current and expected project costs • In FY2010 budget, Administration proposed a lock user fee to replace the existing diesel fuel tax

  29. Proposed lockage fee for barges • PNWA opposes these proposed lockage fees • Higher fees are counter to other Administration policies: • More fees on barging could result in modal shifts • Modal shifts would result in greater fuel use and air emissions • Higher transportation costs will reduce the competitiveness of American products in international markets • New fees should not be assessed until there is consistency in navigation trust funds. • Though PNWA opposes lockage fees, our membership supports a national dialogue to determine equitable stakeholder funding levels • We are also working to have our inland major maintenance needs met while the IWTF remains unaddressed

  30. Whatnext?

  31. PNWA’s 2009 Agenda: • Work to meet FY2010 appropriations goals • Fight new/increased user fees • Continue to improve permitting process • Continue effort to protect navigation, hydropower and salmon • Help our members meet their needs

  32. Questions?

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