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A $1.2 million week

Posted on March 20, 2008 | Filed Under California, Dam Removal, Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, Northwest, River Renewal

Serena McClain, Associate Director of River Renewal
River Renewal, Restoring Rivers

Did you ever have a really good week and just want to share it with others?

On Tuesday of last week we learned that we were awarded $700,000 to continue our NOAA Rivergrants program in FY09. Since 2001, we’ve provided both financial and technical assistance to more than 100 restoration projects across the country, and have reunited many communities with healthier rivers and streams.

Then, just three days later, we were awarded $500,000 from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s Growing Greener Grant Program to continue our work removing dams and restoring rivers statewide. In close partnership with PA DEP and the PA Fish and Boat Commission, our Free-Flowing Pennsylvania program has assisted in the design and construction of more than 60 dam removals since 2003.

The wonderful thing about having a week this good is that we really will be literally sharing it with others. There are just 11 days left to apply for the latest round of American Rivers Rivergrants funding! Check out our guidelines to figure out if your project might be eligible and download the application without delay!

Sunset magazine feature on western rivers

Posted on February 25, 2008 | Filed Under California, Dam Removal, Global Warming, Northwest, River Heritage, River Renewal, Southwest, Water Conservation, Water Supply

Amy Kober
Northwest Outreach & Communications Director

The March 2008 issue of Sunset Magazine includes a story on the West’s rivers, featuring yours truly, and water experts from around the region.

It started back in the fall with a western water roundtable at Sunset’s office in California. They recorded the lively conversation and the magazine includes exerpts. To listen to the roundtable conversation in its entirety, click here.

The magazine also features three essays from writers Tobias Wolff (on the Skagit), Susan Orlean (on the Willamette) and Pam Houston (on the Colorado).

Kudos to Sunset for taking on such a big topic and handling it so well. I like how they include both information and inspiration, balancing the roundtable conversation with the three essays.

I hope the article helps readers appreciate our rivers a little more, and spurs some of them to take action.

Learn more: Read our Principles for Evaluating New Water Supply Projects (PDF)

Klamath salmon ad banned from Portland buses

Posted on February 21, 2008 | Filed Under California, Dam Removal, Endangered Rivers, Northwest, River Renewal

Amy Kober
Northwest Outreach & Communications Director

Portland’s bus system TriMet is refusing to run this ad created by Friends of the River and the Karuk Tribe. As the Oregonian reports, TriMet claims the ad is too political, and now the ACLU is suing.

The ad is targeted at PacficiCorp customers — A study by the California Energy Commission and the Department of the Interior shows that removing PacifiCorp’s Klamath River dams and replacing their power would save PacifiCorp ratepayers up to $285 million over 30 years.

Learn more about the Klamath River and watch our new film, Healthy River, Healthy Communities: the Klamath Opportunity.

Watch our new Klamath River film

Posted on February 20, 2008 | Filed Under California, Dam Removal, Endangered Rivers, Northwest, River Renewal

Amy Kober
Northwest Outreach & Communications Director

We are at a historic moment in the Klamath Basin, where we have a chance to restore the river and help the basin’s farming and fishing communities create a better future. American Rivers and 25 other parties recently announced a proposed agreement to restore salmon runs, revitalize tribal and commercial fishing, and provide security to farmers. Now we need an agreement from dam owner PacifiCorp to remove four outdated dams.

Our short film, Healthy River, Healthy Communities: the Klamath Opportunity, features diverse voices calling for dam removal and river restoration, and captures the hope and urgency of this opportunity.

It’s not too late for your river!

Posted on November 28, 2007 | Filed Under California, Dam Removal, Mid-Atlantic, Northeast, Northwest, River Renewal

Serena McClain, Associate Director of River Renewal
River Renewal, Restoring Rivers

As the deadline approaches (December 3rd) for our stream barrier removal grants, don’t you think it’s time you took our short quiz to see if your project might be eligible* for funding?

Should you apply for a Stream Barrier Removal grant?

*In order to truly determine whether your project is eligible, please call me at (202) 347-7550.

6 Month Update on America’s Most Endangered Rivers: 2007

Posted on October 22, 2007 | Filed Under Alerts, California, Deep South, Endangered Rivers, Great Lakes, Great Rivers, Mid-Atlantic, Northwest, Outreach, Southeast, Southwest

Chelsea Lane-Miller, Associate Director of Outreach
Outreach Events and Activities

Though it may be hard to believe, it’s been six months since we released our America’s Most Endangered Rivers: 2007 Edition report. That means it’s time to check in and see what’s happened on each of the ten rivers. Read closely — there are new opportunities for you to take action and to learn more.

Santa Fe River
The people of Santa Fe are making steady progress on efforts to bring their namesake river back to life. In July, Mayor David Coss delivered the annual State of the City address to the people of Santa Fe, in which he said, “I am happy to announce to you today that I am proposing 1,000 acre-feet of water be dedicated to the Santa Fe River by next spring through adoption of the city’s Long Range Water Supply Plan. This means that we will have enough water to keep riparian vegetation alive in stretches of the River during the summer months. While there are still many challenges to work through as we strive for sustainable water policies in Santa Fe, this 1,000 acre-feet will be the first designation of water to a river anywhere in the state.”

The city now plans to hold town hall meetings and discussions with all key stakeholders so that the community of Santa Fe can come together in support of a common vision of a living river that will eventually be adopted by the City Council.

San Mateo Creek
Though the proposed Foothill South toll road still poses a real threat to San Mateo Creek, opposition to this ill-advised project continues to grow. Editorials in the L.A. Times and North County Times both say that the toll road is not worth it, and stories in the San Diego Tribune and Orange County Register show that nearly 70% of local residents are opposed to the road.

In other positive news, California Rep. Susan Davis (D - San Diego) successfully introduced an amendment in the Armed Services Committee that would remove several exemptions from state environmental laws that the TCA obtained in order to build the proposed toll road. The House version of the bill passed and the Senate is currently debating the bill.

Additionally, American Rivers and Surfrider Foundation supporters recently sent comments to the California Coastal Commission (CCC), urging them to deny approval of the toll road to protect San Mateo Creek and Trestles Beach, which draws surfers from all over the world. There’s still time for you to tell the CCC how you feel. Act now!

Iowa River
Conservation groups in Iowa are working to draft a set of rules that would keep the Iowa and other rivers in the state from becoming more polluted, but the state Department of Natural Resources is dragging its feet. People in Iowa want clean rivers, and they’re not going to wait forever to get them!

Take the University of Iowa in Iowa City. In response to the listing of the Iowa River as one of AMERICA’S MOST ENDANGERED RIVERS:2007 Edition, the University is organizing several events on the River, including three bus tours and a talk about the river as part of their Civic Engagement Program.

Plans are also in the works to organize a local group in Hardin County, Iowa to work on improving the river. These discussions include farmers and local people.

Upper Delaware River
The Upper Delaware River continues to face a grave threat from powerline plans by New York Regional Interconnect, a private power company. In order to protect the Upper Delaware Wild and Scenic River, U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Hilary Rodham Clinton have introduced legislation to block federal approval of this highly controversial proposed power line route. If it becomes law, the legislation will stop the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission from unilaterally establishing power line routes through New York State. It would also prohibit FERC from overriding New York State’s siting process and eliminate the agency’s ability to use eminent domain to confiscate private property.

There’s a big incentive to pass the Clinton-Schumer legislation - on October 2^nd, the Department of Energy (home to FERC) issued their final designation of the National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors. The one on the east coast includes the Upper Delaware River, essentially paving the way for the proposed power line. Stay tuned for your chance to express your support for the Clinton-Schumer bill.

White Salmon River
Designating the White Salmon River as one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers has helped to raise awareness and support for the removal of Condit Dam. Since the listing, local efforts have: turned back a threat from the local electric company to start condemnation proceedings as a way to stall or prevent removal; hosted informational meetings to stir discussion and share facts about dam removal with the community; and appear to be turning back a move by Klickitat County to rezone a large area along the river most critical to salmon restoration. Fish scientists continue to make plans for salmon restoration - some think that rainbow trout found upstream of the dam may actually be steelhead (genetically identical to rainbow trout) that were able to adapt to freshwater life. This means that there may still be native species of steelhead in the river only waiting for the chance to return to the ocean and resume their anadramous life cycle.

It is important that FERC keep dam removal on track. Public support for dam removal is high and growing - the listing of the White Salmon generated 300 comments to the agency. Also, the tremendous public support for the recent removal of the nearby Marmot Dam on the Sandy River just outside of Portland makes Condit Dam an obvious and excellent next step for supporting people and salmon in the Columbia basin.

Neches River
The fate of the Neches River is still up in the air. Proponents of the Neches River Refuge are waiting for a judge to rule in the lawsuit filed by the City of Dallas to eliminate the refuge. Meanwhile, the Texas state legislature has designated the area as a “unique reservoir site” for Fastrill Reservoir, but the state designation will become relevant only if the refuge is overturned.

The Neches River made an appearance in Sierra Club’s America’s Wild Legacy report. They highlighted threatened wild places in each state - including the Neches in Texas. Efforts to designate the river as a National Scenic River are still in motion as well.

Kinnickinnic River
The Kinnickinnic is on the path toward restoration. Although Wisconsin is still working on budget issues that affect the project, once the state funding is in place the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency appears likely to provide the federal match for removal of the contaminated sediments. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is close to having final designs for the remediation, and the Environmental Analysis and permits are close to being completed. Dredging is expected to start next spring, and finish by early fall.

The good news is that it appears likely that a project upstream on the Milwaukee River at Estabrook Dam will also receive funding. This project would also remove PCB-contaminated sediments from behind the dam, and further upstream. Cleanup is scheduled to being next spring.

Neuse River
In early September, elected officials in North Carolina floated the Neuse River to learn about threats to the river’s health, and ways to help protect the river. Upper Neuse Riverkeeper Dean Najouks led them on the trip. He talked about how rainwater running off of lawns, parking lots, golf courses and roads - collectively called stormwater - can harm a river, and how low impact development can help to alleviate these problems. For many, it was an eye-opening experience. Hopefully this trip will help to pass a bond measure in Wake County, NC that would preserve 30% of the county’s land as open space - something that would help to reduce the amount of stormwater funneled into creeks and rivers.

There are still many challenges facing the Neuse River, including a drought this year. Additionally, the state just approved a sewage plant expansion for Johnston County and is endorsing a plan to grant the City of Raleigh a variance request to allow more than 1000 acres of polluted ground water to leach into the Neuse River - that would be more than 120,000 lbs of nitrogen per year for the next 30 years, without any treatment or mitigation. A local blogger explains how you can speak out for the Neuse on this issue.

Lee Creek
Arkansas’ Lee Creek continues to face an uphill battle, but efforts to protect this Extraordinary Resource Water are not over yet. In early October, changes to the regulations that protect Extraordinary Resource Waters (ERW) in Arkansas were passed unanimously by the PC&E Commission. These changes provide a way to delist the river as an ERW, which would normally prohibit dam construction, if a community has no alternative source of drinking water. Although this opens the possibility for constructing a dam on Lee Creek, there must be ample proof that it’s absolutely necessary for drinking water. Project proponents have not been able to show this because cheaper and more ecologically sensible alternatives exist for local drinking water.

Additionally, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which passed the Senate and House in late September, renews the 1967 authorization of the Pine Mountain Dam - proposed for Lee Creek - along with 14 other water projects in the state. Funding for study of the dam proposal is provided but there is no guarantee that any funding will be provided for building the dam. Furthermore, the project cited by the Act authorizes the dam for flood control - not water supply - meaning that the dam would still be in opposition to state law protecting ERWs.

Chuitna River
The listing of the Chuitna as one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers has brought much deserved attention to the plight of this remote treasure. Elevated awareness has coalesced locals and concerned citizens have redoubled their efforts to protect the Chuitna from destructive strip mining. PacRim Coal, the company pushing for the coal mine is moving forward with its plans, including permit requests to the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Local citizens and others submitted a petition in June requesting that lands within the fish-rich Chuitna watershed be deemed “unsuitable” for coal strip mining. DNR Commissioner Tom Irwin of Alaska DNR denied the petition on July 16^th claiming lands within the petition area are exempt. The DNR decision is under appeal. The nearby communities of Tyonek and Beluga rely heavily upon this area for their year-round subsistence fishing and hunting.

While the State of Alaska continues to push this project forward, efforts to slow the project and extend the timeline have been successful — the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) is now expected to be released as early as summer 2008. The development of this mine would not only devastate thousands of acres of prime fish, moose, and bear habitat but would also emit huge quantities of CO2 and other greenhouse gases from coal combustion.

Progress on Tuolumne continues

Posted on October 10, 2007 | Filed Under Alerts, California, Endangered Rivers, Outreach, Wild and Scenic

Chelsea Lane-Miller, Associate Director of Outreach
Outreach Events and Activities

Local efforts to protect the Tuolumne River (pdf), listed as one of AMERICA’S MOST ENDANGERED RIVERS: 2005 Edition, are paying off (watch this TV news report on the campaign to protect the Tuolumne).

Awhile back, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission scrapped plans to build a huge pipeline across the San Joaquin Valley, which would have sucked more water from this national Wild and Scenic River. However, there are still plans in the works to divert an additional 25 million gallons per day from the river.

The Tuolumne River Trust has been steadfast in their opposition to this water diversion proposal. Now, the San Francisco Planning Department has extended the public comment period in response to concerns that the� proposed required flow regime (amount of water in the river) would not� be sufficient to prevent salmon populations in the Tuolumne River from declining.

The Tuolumne River Trust, Sierra Club, Clean Water Action, California Department of Fish and Game and other agencies submitted comments that resulted in the extension of the comment period.

You, too, can submit comments today to help protect the Tuolumne River:

You have until October 15 to submit written comments. A sample letter is available at http://www.tuolumne.org/content/article.php/action_bayarea

Send comments to:
Paul Maltzer, Environmental Review Officer
San Francisco Planning Department
1650 Mission Street, Suite 400
San Francisco, CA 94103

Send emails to: wsip.peir.comments@gmail.com

River Activists Provide a Big Boost for Wild and Scenic Rivers

Posted on October 5, 2007 | Filed Under California, Events, Northeast, River Heritage, Southeast, Southwest, Wild and Scenic

Quinn McKew, Director of River Heritage
River Heritage, Go Wild!

Yes, it’s been a while since our official River Action Day in Washington, DC, last week. But I wanted to let people know about the power of dedicated local voices to effect change in the ponderous capital city. In the week since local activists gave up their time to come and speak out on the need to support our Wild and Scenic Rivers, the following has happened:

1. The entire Vermont Congressional delegation introduced legislation that could lead to the first Wild and Scenic River designation in the state on the Missisquoi River

2. Rep. Mary Bono (R-CA) and Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) introduced the California Desert and Mountain Heritage Act, which would designate four new gorgeous desert rivers as Wild and Scenic in Southern California

3. We got our first Republican co-sponsor, Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC), on legislation to study the Perquimans River for a Wild and Scenic designations

4. Last but not least, after one of our participants, Mayor Tony Gioia of Camp Verde, AZ, flew up to meeting with Senator McCain in the green room of the David Letterman show the day after River Action Day, the Senator agreed to quickly move his legislation to designate Fossil Creek a Wild and Scenic River!

All of this is a testament to the power of dedicated, local voices.

Help Save California’s Endangered San Mateo Creek

Posted on October 4, 2007 | Filed Under Alerts, California

Lindsay Martin, Web Editor
River Alert

It’s time to speak out again for San Mateo Creek — one of AMERICA’S MOST ENDANGERED RIVERS: 2007. San Mateo Creek lies at the center of the last remaining pristine coastal watershed in southern California, and supports world-class surfing and the southern-most population of endangered steelhead trout.

A proposed toll road would slice through the San Mateo, causing significant damage to the watershed and to surfing at the famous Trestles Beach. If built, it could also lead to urbanization and poorly planned development, causing further harm to the watershed. Though proponents of the toll road have faced significant setbacks, it is still a threat. We need your help to make sure the road is not approved.

Help save one of southern California’s best remaining natural and recreational assets. Comments are due October 10, so please act now.

Meet Tom, of Tom’s of Maine, and celebrate our new partnership!

Posted on September 25, 2007 | Filed Under California, Events, Northwest

Amy Kober
Northwest Outreach & Communications Director

What’s your favorite Tom’s of Maine natural toothpaste? (I’m partial to cinnamon…)

As a Tom’s of Maine fan, I’m personally excited about a new partnership we’ll be announcing next week. (But here’s a sneak peak, with an invitation to the kick-off events in San Francisco and Portland!)

The Rivers Awareness Partnership(TM) is an exciting new partnership between Tom’s of Maine, American Rivers and River Network.

Tom’s of Maine is generously providing $1 million in support over five years to our organizations to enhance awareness, understanding and, ultimately, protection of rivers nationwide.

I hope you will join us at these events in San Francisco and Portland (times and locations below), as we kick-off this exciting partnership!

Here’s your chance to meet Tom and Kate Chappell, the co-founders of Tom’s of Maine, and staff from American Rivers and River Network. Learn about the wonderful natural products from Tom’s of Maine and get free samples!

San Francisco, California:

1) Store event at Elephant Pharmacy (Los Altos)
When: Monday, October 1, 4:30-6pm
Where: Elephant Pharmacy, Los Altos, 4470 El Camino Real
Phone: 650-472-6800

2) Store event at Elephant Pharmacy (Walnut Creek)
When: Tuesday, October 2, 4:30-6pm
Where: Elephant Pharmacy, Walnut Creek, 1388 S. California Blvd
Phone: 925-658-5300

Portland, Oregon:

1) Store event at New Seasons Market

When: Friday, October 5, 4:00 to 6:00pm
Where: New Seasons Market, Arbor Lodge, 6400 N Interstate Ave, Portland
Phone: 503-467-4777

Hope to see you at these events!

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