Government Shirked Its Duty to Wild Fish, a Judge Rules - New York Times

By FELICITY BARRINGER
Published: May 27, 2005

WASHINGTON, May 26 - A federal judge in Oregon ruled Thursday that the Bush administration had arbitrarily limited and skewed its analysis of the harm that 14 federal dams cause to endangered Columbia and Snake River salmon and steelhead.

As a result, Judge James A. Redden of Federal District Court ruled, the administration had shirked its duty to ensure that government actions were not likely to jeopardize the survival of the species.

The ruling came in a challenge by environmentalists, fishing groups and Indian tribes to the administration's determination that the harm the hydropower dams were posing to the young salmon and steelhead could be remedied over the next 10 years by $6 billion in improvements to the dams, including spillways designed to get the fish through safely.

Save our free flowing water ways! I love fly fishing. Catch and release as much as you can. If not, then take only what you can use.

Semper Fi