The Northwest Power Act: The Spokane Tribe’s Perspective

The Northwest Power Act:

The Spokane Tribe’s Perspective

“We never wanted for nothing……

until Coulee Dam was built, after that we had

nothing…” Spokane Tribal Elder, Marion Wynecoop

.

The Northwest Power and Conservation Council continues

to ignore the “Congressional declaration of purpose” of the

Power Act.

NPCC excluded the Spokane Tribe from proposing new projects (since 2007) to mitigate for our resource losses, yet NPCC allowed Accord

Agencies the opportunity to propose new projects.

Anadromous fisheries

Resident fisheries

Terrestrial resources

NPCC FAILS to provide opportunities to mitigate losses to the Spokane

Tribe’s

Bureau of Reclamation Web site photo

Crown Jewel of the Columbia River FCRPS

75 Years of Regional Benefits

WWII war effort

Benefits to fish and wildlife

Flood protectionBargingIrrigationMunicipal water storage

Map and photos courtesy of NPCC and BPA 2012

Industry

Hydropower

75 Years of Spokane Tribal ImpactsAnadromous fish

losses

Erosion and landslides

Resident fish lossesWildlife habitat

lossesCultural lossesEconomic losses

Hydropower Impacts to Fish and Wildlife

37% of all Salmon andSteelhead lost to

hydropower developmentwere lost due to theconstruction and operationof Grand Coulee and ChiefJoseph Dams (NWPPC1986)

37% of all Wildlife habitatlosses occurred in theIntermountain Province(BPA) Nearly 100,000 Acresof land

inundated creating a loss of149,276 HUs in the UpperColumbia (BPA)

Historical Spokane

Tribal Fishing Sites

Washington Water Power photo

Spokane Tribe Expectations• Uphold the intent of the Power Act.• Acknowledge the Program is not mature.• Acknowledge the Program is not just an ESA

Recovery program.• NPCC allow the Spokane Tribe to implement

sub-basin plans, which requires increased funding.

• Reopen solicitation process so we (a non-accord) can have the same opportunities for new projects as Accords were afforded.