Comment on proposed FY 2006 budget

Intermountain Communications confirms that it seeks renewal of its project – The Columbia Basin Bulletin – for Fiscal Year 2006. The Fiscal Year 2006 budget identified by Council staff is consistent with my expectations, and consistent with the budget previously approved by the Council and Bonneville Power Administration.

Accomplishments since the last review

The CBB has been part of the Northwest Power and Conservation Council’s Fish and Wildlife Program since June 1998, and since its 2003 Provincial Review recommendation, the CBB’s use by Basin stakeholders continues to increase. The weekly e-mail report (and web postings) remains a cost-efficient information tool that responds to the Council’s and Federal Agencies’ emphasis on the need for information dissemination, public involvement and cooperation among all parties involved in fish and wildlife restoration. Since 2003, the CBB has adjusted to reduced funding levels and maintain the integrity and value of the project for stakeholders. The CBB began with about 300 names from an initial subscriber solicitation. The e-mail newsletter now has about 4,000 direct e-mail subscribers, with readership much higher due to distribution in large offices and routing forwarding from subscribers to non-subscribers, but readers. The CBB website consistently receives heavy use. For example, in April 2005 alone, in addition to the e-mail readership, the CBB site received 8,902 page views. The CBB continues to be the best source of information for stakeholders seeking complete, timely, objective news and information about Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife issues and developments. Because of its value as a unique, successful public information tool, fish and wildlife managers, the Independent Science Review Panel, the NPCC, and Bonneville Power Administration have approved the CBB for funding during three Council/BPA project funding processes.

FY 2006 goals and anticipated accomplishments

With Fiscal Year 2006 funding, The Columbia Basin Bulletin will continue to offer objective, timely, trustworthy information about fish and wildlife issues important to Columbia River Basin fish and wildlife policy development. The newsletter in FY2006 will assist Northwest policy makers and other stakeholders in keeping up with the range of meetings and materials related to fish and wildlife issues. Coverage will provide: • an understanding of the scope of technical information used in policy decisions; • an understanding of the multiple perspectives included in decision making; • a presentation of various positions addressed in the decision process; • a presentation of the political and technical constraints incorporated in decisions. Throughout Fiscal Year 2006, the Columbia Basin Bulletin will continue to increase the number of e-mail subscribers and website use.

Subbasin planning

How is this project consistent with subbasin plans?

The Columbia Basin Bulletin is a Mainstem/Systemwide Province project and is not related to a subbasin plan. Both the Northwest Power Act and the Northwest Power and Conservation Council’s Fish and Wildlife Program stress the need for public education, public outreach, and public involvement. The Columbia Basin Bulletin is a public information tool that meets that mandate in a cost-efficient manner. Federal Agencies, too, stress that information management and coordination will play a key role in the success of Council and federal recovery efforts. Information sharing and coordination is a key component of an Adaptive Management approach to implementation of Council and Federal programs. In addition, the Biological Opinion for the FCRPS emphasizes broad stakeholder participation in habitat restoration to “engender a broadly supported, unified effort.”

How do goals match subbasin plan priorities?

Other comments

The Independent Science Review Panel, in reviewing and recommending “fundable” for the CBB as a project in the 2004-2006 Mainstem/Systemwide Province Rolling Review, says the “Columbia Basin Bulletin is widely distributed and respected as a quality product . . .” The ISRP said the CBB responds to “the programmatic need for information to enhance public involvement, coordination of recovery programs, and adaptive management. ” In its review comments, The Columbia Fish and Wildlife Authority says the CBB is “a very important part of the Fish and Wildlife Program (information and outreach) and is strongly supported by the CBFWA members.”