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Methow Valley News May 4, 2000 Endangered Species Basin fish funds survive legislature Negotiations continue with NMFS, other agencies by Lee Hicks The Methow basin will receive nearly $1.3 million for water and fish projects as the result of the state budget passed last week. The funds will include $500,000 for the Methow basin planning unit to study surface and groundwater withdrawals in relation to irrigation and other uses. Another $789,000 will go for fish screens, piping and related irrigation ditch improvements aimed to help recovery of endangered and threatened fish. The state Department of Ecology will also get $500,000 from the new budget to purchase Methow basin water rights for a state water trust program. The appropriations capped a battle that lasted through much of the legislative session, with state Rep. Linda Evans Parlette, R-12th, of Wenatchee, leading the way to secure funding for Methow projects. Parlette is now involved with the Methow basin planning unit in negotiations with state and federal agencies over a long-term fish and water agreement. While the appropriations measures squeaked through, other bills that would benefit the Methow failed to clear the Senate after gaining substantial House backing. One would have established a "two-line" process in which DOE could process water rights transfers or changes ahead of new applications. This could have expedited projects that would benefit fish and irrigators by allowing, among other things, easier conversion from surface to groundwater withdrawals. With favorable funding news, the planning unit was set to resume negotiations Tuesday after the News’ deadline with officials of National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife and state agencies. The unit met last Friday and April 18, in the first sessions of a new round of talks. County water resources director Dennis Beich said Monday that negotiators have yet to complete a full review of the draft document. Beich said a number of issues were "left in the parking lot" during the recent sessions, and would have to be addressed later. Planning unit chairman Dick Ewing said early Tuesday that, "NMFS wants to know what our timeline commitments are and how our work plan will work." "We’re a little concerned this could end up being a top-down rather than a bottom-up approach at this point." Ewing said a key issue is that, "even if we come up with a plan agreeable to both us and NMFS, (NMFS) says if we don’t get funding they will still enforce (under the Endangered Species Act). In other words, a property owner will be held hostage until the problem is corrected." With the state salmon recovery funding board priorities unclear, Ewing said there is concern the basin, "could be left out in the cold on funding. We need some protection on those occasions." Opinion | Sports |
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