PORTLAND, Ore. – Columbia River Treaty negotiations between the United States and Canada are set to begin in 2018, and advocates for the environment say the river's health should be the focus of talks.

Conversation, fishing and faith-based groups, as well as tribes in the Columbia River basin, want the treaty to expand its purpose from simply maintaining hydropower production and flood-risk management. They say negotiators should modernize the treaty and include a third purpose: ecosystem function, which would help salmon and other species.

Greg Haller is conservation director for the environmental group Pacific Rivers.

"The Columbia River Treaty is often hailed as a model for transboundary management of a river, and we could actually, truly make the treaty a model for transboundary river management by including ecosystem function as a primary purpose," he explains.

Conservation groups say focusing on ecosystem function would mean helping the river flow more naturally.

The Treaty was originally ratified in 1964 to reduce the flood risk in Portland and create more hydropower capacity. Salmon returns continue to drop in the river basin.

Jim Heffernan, a policy analyst for the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, says he's encouraged that the U.S.' top negotiator is following regional recommendations on the treaty.

Tribes weren't consulted when the treaty was first negotiated and their resources on the river have been hurt since, but they're excited that the ecosystem could become a focus. Heffernan says this term has a deep meaning for tribes.

"What they mean by that is not just ecosystem services - things that people take from the river system," he says. "They view the salmon, the sturgeon, the bull trout, the wildlife that depend upon the rivers, as gifts given to them that they have an obligation and responsibility to take care of for future generations."

According to Haller, utilities such as Bonneville Power say they can't afford to do more for salmon. His and other conservation groups believe the opposite is true.

"We think by doing more for salmon, it will actually produce economic, social and cultural benefits that outweigh the cost that may be incurred through potentially higher rates," he adds.

Haller says Pacific Rivers represents millions of ratepayers in the basin who want their hydropower produced in a way that has the least amount of harm to salmon and other species. He also notes the Northwest is becoming less reliant on hydropower as the region's energy market diversifies.


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Athens, Alabama, is bouncing back after an EF-1 tornado ripped through its downtown late Saturday night, leaving devastation but sparing lives.

Now, days into recovery, city crews and volunteers have cleared most debris, reopened streets and restored power to most homes and businesses.

Ronnie Marks, mayor of Athens, credits the quick response and community spirit for the progress made so far.

"We are so fortunate that we don't have any injuries or any fatalities," Marks pointed out. "The tough news is it's hit our downtown, but overall our city and county workers have done a tremendous job in cleaning up debris, rooftops laying in the middle of the street."

According to the city's Facebook page, additional damage includes fallen trees blocking major roads, structural damage to public buildings such as Fire Station Number 3, and debris in key areas like Pryor Street and the Veterans Museum.

Marks noted the tornado's toll on local businesses has been severe, with some potentially facing total losses. He added among the hardest hit was a local bookstore, which suffered catastrophic roof damage. Marks emphasized the importance of rallying around these businesses as they rebuild.

"There's some severe damage to some of the small business people and that's their livelihood, and it's ours and we're supportive," Marks emphasized. "For example, the CEI bookstore is totally destroyed. A lot of other businesses have rooftops and HVACs blown off of the top of their building."

Marks stressed community volunteers have stepped up to clear debris and provide meals to city workers, with support pouring in from across the state and even as far as Tennessee. The Limestone County Emergency Management Agency is actively documenting the damage to determine if the area qualifies for additional aid.


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It has been just over three months since Hurricane Helene devastated Western North Carolina, leaving communities to rebuild and recover.

As the immediate relief efforts wind down, the focus is shifting to the more complex challenges of long-term recovery.

Jennifer Tolle Whiteside, president of the North Carolina Community Foundation, said rebuilding is just one piece of the puzzle. Many other critical needs require ongoing attention and support.

"There are infrastructure, including roads and bridges and houses that will need to be rebuilt," Tolle Whiteside pointed out. "We are particularly concerned about mental health issues, sort of the education and effect on children and communities, as well as some of the basic needs."

Gov. Roy Cooper recently announced $15.5 Million from the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund will go to the North Carolina Community Foundation to support long-term recovery from Hurricane Helene. The figure is in addition to the $12 million the foundation has already raised, which will be distributed as grants to nonprofits serving Western North Carolina.

Tolle Whiteside noted the foundation's 19 affiliates in Western North Carolina are playing a key role in identifying the specific needs of each community as recovery efforts continue. The local partners are not only assessing the damage but helping to prioritize resources for critical issues such as housing, mental health and education. She stressed while progress is being made, the work is far from over and sustained support will be essential for years to come.

"These issues are long-term in nature and it's going to take a long road to recovery," Tolle Whiteside emphasized. "These communities need our continued support and attention."

Recent estimates from Gov. Roy Cooper's office indicated the damage from Hurricane Helene has escalated to nearly $60 billion, surpassing the first estimate of about $54 billion released in October. The damage costs are roughly 3.5 times those of Hurricane Florence in 2018.


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Wisconsin is ending the year on a high note in the clean energy space, with some notables like a first-of-its-kind energy dome and approval for the largest solar project in state history.

Together, the Columbia Energy Storage Project and the Vista Sands Solar Project are expected to generate enough energy to power more than 200,000 Wisconsin homes.

Oliver Schmitz, associate dean for research innovation in the College of Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said in a state importing about 70% of the energy it uses, projects like these are key to reducing the number.

"I think in terms of the priorities, it's not only to realize clean energy as an energy source for the entire population, but also to leverage the opportunities that come with the clean energy technologies," Schmitz contended.

Opportunities like using Wisconsin's strong manufacturing base to work toward clean energy projects, Schmitz added. Other areas include new careers and workforce, a reduction in pollutants contributing to climate change, and lower energy costs across the state.

Though Wisconsin ranks around the middle of the pack nationwide for clean energy development, the state has been able to maximize some federal initiatives in the past year to fund statewide projects. Schmitz believes the most important component in recent advancements is community involvement.

"Many of those, technology discovery is community driven," Schmitz pointed out. "People who consume energy, the communities out in the state are thinking about, 'What is the fit for our community?'"

He added now, the state would do well to focus on its baseload capacity or replacing coal plants with equivalent units of continuous energy. The state announced this month a second delay of Columbia County's coal plant retirement. Schmitz believes nuclear power technologies could also be considered.


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