Columbia River Task Force
Photo credit: Reclamation
Announcements
Federal agencies working in the Columbia Basin perform the work of the Columbia River Task Force. Recent announcements relating to the work of the Task Force agencies or affecting the entire basin are posted below.
Recent Announcements
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Agencies seek comment on draft lower Snake River water supply replacement study
The Bureau of Reclamation and the Washington State Department of Ecology are seeking comments on the draft lower Snake River Water Supply Replacement Study.
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Columbia River environmental review begins, agencies seek input
Two federal agencies are seeking public input on changed circumstances and new information regarding Columbia River System operations to inform preparation of a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS). The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), who are the co-lead agencies for the SEIS, issued a notice of intent in the Federal Register, today, which announced the effort and the need for public input over the next 90 days.
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EPA adds Upper Columbia River site to the Superfund National Priorities List to protect public health from metals contamination
EPA has determined that soils within the site are contaminated with lead and arsenic and pose an unacceptable risk to residents at affected properties, particularly to children and women of childbearing age. Additionally, sediments in the river are contaminated with metals, including zinc, copper, cadmium, selenium, lead and mercury, that pose a risk to fish, wildlife, birds, and other organisms that live in and along the river.
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DOE Launches Pacific Northwest Regional Energy Planning Study to Explore Solutions to Energy Planning Challenges
Today the U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office (GDO) announced the launch of the Pacific Northwest Regional Energy Planning Project (PREPP) , a broad engagement‐based planning process that will produce regional analyses of infrastructure investments that will be required to meet the goals and requirements of regional participants, including resource adequacy, decarbonization, ecosystem priorities, and system resilience and reliability.
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U.S. Department of State posts further details on the Agreement in Principle on modernizing the Columbia River Treaty
This web page provides supplemental details regarding the “Summary of the Agreement in Principle to Modernize the Columbia River Treaty Regime.”
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$240 Million in Pacific Northwest Fish Hatchery Investments Announced
The Departments of Commerce and the Interior today announced a $240 million investment from President Biden's Investing in America agenda to support fish hatcheries that produce Pacific salmon and steelhead, underscoring the Biden-Harris administration's commitment to empowering Tribal Nations and fulfilling the federal government's trust and treaty responsibilities.
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Tribal Circumstances Analysis released
As part of the Biden-Harris administration's unprecedented agreement to restore wild salmon in the Columbia River Basin, the Department of the Interior today released a report documenting the historic, ongoing and cumulative impacts of federal Columbia River dams on Columbia River Basin Tribes.
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Bureau of Reclamation and Washington Department of Ecology initiate water supply replacement study
The Bureau of Reclamation and the Washington State Department of Ecology have initiated the Lower Snake River Water Supply Replacement Study and will host two virtual public meetings to share information and address questions from interested parties throughout the study area.
Documents & Reports
Agencies represented by the Task Force are completing a set of deliverables as outlined in the agreements and the Presidential Memorandum. Links to the primary and completed documents are available below.
Current Documents
Completed Reports
Reports in Development
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Recreation and Public Access Analysis
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Transportation Analysis
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Mid-Columbia 10-Year Restoration Plan
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Ocean and Estuary Research Plan
About
Leadership
The Task Force is co-chaired by leaders from the Department of the Interior, Department of Energy, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Other agencies represented on the Task Force include the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Transportation, the Office of Management and Budget, and the White House Council on Environmental Quality.
Nik Blosser serves as the first Executive Director of the Columbia River Task Force. Blosser brings more than two decades of salmon and energy-related experience to the role, including experience in state and federal government and the private sector.
Participating Agencies
Newsletter
Receive email updates when new announcements are made related to the work of the Columbia River Task Force.
salmonrecovery.gov
official website of the Columbia River Basin Federal Caucus