Proposed Gravel Mine Expansion Threatens Salmon Recovery

2001 List of Nation’s Most Endangered Rivers Released by American Rivers

(Washington, DC)— American Rivers announced today that it has ranked the East Fork of the Lewis River in Washington State #10 on its annual list of rivers facing the most immediate and severe environmental threats. American Rivers and its partners cited a proposed gravel mine expansion that threatens salmon habitat along the river and urged Federal, State, and local authorities to deny permits needed for expansion.

"The East Fork of the Lewis River is one of the last undammed rivers in the Columbia Basin and is a very promising location to restore wild native salmon and steelhead," said American Rivers President Rebecca Wodder. "The river still shows the scars from the last time this gravel mine flooded, and allowing it to expand would be a tragic mistake."

The East Fork of the Lewis River flows emerald green out of the rugged terrain of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, reaching the Columbia River near Portland. The river’s chinook and coho salmon and steelhead trout runs are now shadows of their former selves, but Washington State’s Statewide Salmon Recovery Strategy has identified the East Fork as a high priority area for recovery of threatened salmon species. Government and non-profit organizations have acquired and are restoring some 2,500 acres of habitat in the East Fork river valley.

Since 1997 the operator of a large gravel mine has been proposing to triple operations on the banks of next to the East Fork of the Lewis River and remove several million tons of gravel. This same mining company circumvented a local ban on mining in the floodplain by persuading the Federal Emergency Management Agency to redraw the East Fork's 100-year floodplain so that its proposed mine expansion now lies one foot outside the boundary. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has warned that the expanded gravel mining operation would pose a "serious threat" to salmon recovery.

The East Fork has yet to recover from gravel mining accidents in the recent past. During a flood in 1996, the river flooded mining pits on the river, which changed the river's course, destroyed 5000 feet of prime salmon spawning habitat, and formed a maze of warm-water ponds where salmon predators flourish. Geologists say that it will take decades for the East Fork to return to its pre-1996 condition.

To proceed with the proposed expansion, the mine operators must clear three hurdles:

First, the company has applied to the Washington Department of Ecology for a special expedited review of the transfer of disputed water rights, needed to use more river and groundwater for pumping and washing the gravel. A decision is expected in early 2001.

Second, the mining company must receive permission from the National Marine Fisheries Service and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to move forward with the expansion because the expansion may harm ("take") the listed species. The federal agencies are expected to act on the proposal in the summer of 2001.

Third, the mining company must also obtain permission from Clark County for the expanded mine site. The company has submitted a draft Environmental Impact Statement to the county for the expansion. After the release of the final document, the county will take public comment and then decide whether or not to allow the mine expansion to proceed.

"Concerned citizens should speak up and tell the authorities that this proposed mine expansion is clearly not in the public interest," Wodder said. "There is no good reason to allow the East Fork of the Lewis River to be placed in peril by this unwise mine expansion."

Wanted: A River-Friendly Energy Policy

Nearly half of the thirteen rivers made this year’s list due to the impacts of energy production --hydropower, fossil fuel extraction and combustion, and contamination from manufacturing components of the nation’s energy grid. As a first step towards reducing damage to rivers from the production of energy, American Rivers recommends more aggressive use of best management practices and best available technologies to ensure that conventional power generation is conducted in a sensitive manner. In particular, American Rivers recommends that hydropower facilities adopt responsible operating practices and seek certification from the Low Impact Hydropower Institute.

To encourage the trend of falling prices and increasing competitiveness of renewable energy such as wind and solar with conventional energy generation, American Rivers supports redirecting federal efforts to promote fossil fuel development towards environmentally preferable energy.

"Federal support for research and development in information technology created the foundation of the Internet," Wodder said. "The government should nurture a similar transformation in energy technology."

Finally, American Rivers supports new tax incentives, updated building codes, and revised government contracting procedures to speed the market penetration of compact fluorescent light bulbs, highly efficient heating, cooling, and ventilation equipment, and other technologies which have the potential to quickly and substantially reduce energy consumption and save money for businesses and the public.

"Energy is the cornerstone of modern society, and many years of stable low prices have made us complacent about our long-term needs," Wodder said. "The consequence of the current energy crunch on our rivers is a wakeup call that we can’t put off doing the right thing any longer."