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Methow Valley News February 10, 2000 Endangered Species Coverage Publisher's Comment ~ by Lee Hicks NMFS finds a defender A bylined guest column in the Jan. 28 issue of the state’s largest newspaper is largely a misleading and inaccurate analysis of fish and water issues in the Methow Valley. The Seattle Times piece by Katherine P. Ransel, director of the Northwest Regional Office of American Rivers, accuses Methow irrigators, along with local and state governments, of failing to take action that would help fish. Ransel remarkably lets National Marine Fisheries Service off the hook for any culpability in the process that has dragged on for years now. The problems with Ransel’s article surface in the first few sentences: "Under the Endangered Species Act, the U. S. Forest Service, which authorizes rights of way for the irrigation ditches, was required to assess the impact of the ditches on the fish. Subsequently, NMFS rendered a ‘biological opinion’ that there was clear evidence of harm to the fish." We know, however, that record water was carried downstream last spring while irrigators and the Forest Service had waited a year for any response from National Marine Fisheries Service—yes or no—regarding irrigation. NMFS has thus far issued only draft biological opinions, a precise term under ESA, for several federally permitted ditches. In fact, the agency has time after time missed its own deadlines and has readily admitted that the so-called target flows it included in draft biological opinions required more analysis. Ms. Ransel says local residents and even some in the Puget Sound region wondered what was happening. It all made sense, though, she concludes: "..it seems there was a misunderstanding of NMFS’ obligation under the law, and either a lapse of memory or an honest ignorance about the long history of what can only be called paralysis by state and local officials, irrigation districts and canal operators in the face of the long-acknowledged effects of irrigation screens and deficient river flows on fish survival in the Methow." Ransel’s conclusion tracks very closely defenses by NMFS' management during the protracted discussions of endangered species issues in the Valley. Could NMFS have found someone to help it re-work recent history and buff its image with Times' readers? Opinion | Sports |
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