News Release
April 25, 2011
Conservationists: Yakima Water Plan scoping notice should be reissued
Contact: Brock Evans (202) 425-1517, bevans_esc2004@yahoo.com
Tom Brucker (206) 232-8882, thsbrucker@comcast.net
A coalition of conservation, environmental, wildlife and fishery organizations have requested the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to reissue the scoping notice for an environmental impact statement for the Integrated Water Resource Management Plan, Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project Yakima. (click here for letter)
Brock Evans, President of the national Endangered Species Coalition said, “The Bureau’s Scoping Notice failed to disclose that studying pumping water from the Columbia River to the Yakima Basin is part of the 'package'."
“The public needs additional time to comment on the multiple elements proposed,” said Evans. “These include flooding ancient forest, spotted owl, and bull trout habitat from a new Bumping Lake Dam; fish passage at existing reservoirs; water conservation; water marketing; and groundwater storage.”
Tom Brucker, representing the North Cascades Conservation Committee, pointed out, “The Bureau has only scheduled scoping meetings in Ellensburg (May 3) and Yakima (May 5) from 1:30-3:30 PM and 5-7 PM. We are requesting that the meetings be held until 9:00 PM and also held in Seattle and Spokane.”
The groups submitting the letter are:
Endangered Species Coalition – Kittitas Audubon Society
North Cascades Conservation Council – Seattle Audubon Society
Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society – Seattle Mountaineers
Sierra Club Washington State Chapter – Washington Wilderness Coalition
Western Lands Project - Wild Fish Conservancy – Western Watersheds Project
Links:
- Conservationists’ request to the USBR to reissue scoping