Activity Report Explorer

LSRD Committee • Entered by Pam Conley on April 29, 2021

LSRD Committee meeting

January 8, 2021

Key Issue: Wildlife Protection
Activity Type: Broadband Meeting (prep, implementation & follow up)

Short Description of Activity

Monthly meeting- Here’s the agenda
11:30 – 11:35 Intros- Pam, Katya capturing minutes.

11:35 – 11:45 4 Governors’ Agreement. Anyone find out what the various states are doing? See Micky’s info form OR below. See Pam’s ID info below

11:45 – 11:50 Biden Transition – Anyone figure out what the various other groups working on this issue are doing regarding this?

11:50-12:00 FEIS Litigation update from Oregon – Micky

12:00 – 12:10 Record of Decision letter to politicians update – Micky and Felice
Amy one pager https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QAyE9TFf7gC6iJF4am2r3NQSmxFY1YmF/view?usp=sharing
ROD Letter https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PL4_xCBZ_rdwqKIE8I1RgCux1P0c2CIp8nFUM0cVz5g/edit?usp=sharing

12:10 -12:25 PUDs and Electric Co-op ZOOM educational event- Micky

12:25 -12:35 Bonneville Power Administration IPR lawsuit with Advocates for the West- Micky

12:35 – 12:50 Review of Campaign Goals and Strategies – see Rynda’s comment below, right above the Goals

12:50 – 1:00 Letter writing to counteract Dr. Welch bogus science & other pro-dam propaganda. Amy providing 1 pager of rebuttal to Welch paper.
Amy one pager https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QAyE9TFf7gC6iJF4am2r3NQSmxFY1YmF/view?usp=sharing

Podcast update?? https://rewilding.org/rewilding-earth-podcast/


Next meeting date: February 12, 2021

Reflection/Evaluation

Meeting minutes
11:30 – 11:35 Intros- Pam, Katya capturing minutes. Attendees: Amy, Pam, Debra, Rynda, Micky, and Krestine

11:35 – 11:45 4 Governors’ Agreement. Anyone find out what the various states are doing? See Micky’s info form OR below. See Pam’s ID info below. Pam will ask about attending the next public meeting.
ICL’s strategy is to work on a “salmon surge and community investment strategy” (10 years) do everything else that helps salmon and make communities whole (outside of removing dams).
Four state collaboration is one more step toward taking out the dams, hence ICL’s strategy.
Debra: ICL is a middle of the road org on breach; she talked to Gov. Inslee’s Comms Dir. Tarra ??

11:45 – 11:50 Biden Transition – Anyone figure out what the various other groups working on this issue are doing regarding this?
Debra: Some folks and orgs are putting together a letter on executing an executive order to do a lot of things to take down dams and support salmon/orka. Letter is under way.
SOS and Sierra Club are going after legislative packages instead.
Bruce Lee will be Biden’s deputy Chief of Staff.

11:50-12:00 FEIS Litigation update from Oregon – Micky
No new news; Micky will get a report from Todd on whether the State filed and what we can do to push it along.
Broads is not a plaintiff in the case and don’t want to be. Would be a big black hole of litigation.

12:00 – 12:10 Record of Decision letter to politicians update – Micky and Felice
Need to provide cmte a link to all of those docs for folks to write letters to MOCs.
Katya will send Rynda the lobbying notes from 2019 DC trip.
Amy one pager to rebut Welch’s paper: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QAyE9TFf7gC6iJF4am2r3NQSmxFY1YmF/view?usp=sharing
ROD Letter: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PL4_xCBZ_rdwqKIE8I1RgCux1P0c2CIp8nFUM0cVz5g/edit?usp=sharing
Pam created a FEIS/ROD folder specifically for letters in the Comments/Letters folder of shared drive

12:10 -12:25 Public Utility companies (PUD, Co-Op, Municipal) Zoom educational event- Micky and Krestine
No update. Educational event focus is to inform ratepayers how to engage and become participants in the governance of their local utility company.
Debra: Steve Hawley is putting together communications to all PUDs about the LSRD issues.

12:25 -12:35 Bonneville Power Administration IPR lawsuit with Advocates for the West- Micky
Micky got an email from Andrew (Advocates for the West) and he has a link to several docs as part of the case. If anyone has questions for BPA, they need to submit them by the 15th. Send Debra your questions first and she’ll compile them for Andrew.

12:35 – 12:50 Review of Campaign Goals and Strategies – see Rynda’s comment below, right above the Goals
Do your activity reports!! LSRD is now an option under the “Broadbands” dropdown field in the activity report form. If you want to claim the hours for your Broadband instead,
please put the words “LSRD” or “Lower Snake River Dams” in the title of your activity.

Micky signed us up for the Public Interest Environmental Law Conference (PIELC)
virtual tabling.

12:50 – 1:00 Letter writing
Counteract Dr. Welch bogus science & other pro-dam propaganda. Amy providing 1 pager of rebuttal to Welch paper.
Letter to public utilities regarding rebuttals to ratepayer publications.
Micky: Ruralite letter by Jeff Davis on “Governor Should Reconsider” against litigation by State.
Micky, Amy, Debra, and Krestine writing a templates for others to send.

Next meeting date: February 12, 2021 at 11:30a.m.

PNW Broads Activities Flow Diagram
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ScVKNCfTYh1niMaRpL-v1hbJQrX_Goeb/view?usp=sharing

2020 Evaluation – Completed January 2021

Evaluate our progress/accomplishments
update campaign goals and strategies as needed
list new strategies for upcoming year
Additional topic – Activity reports – how do we track both quantitative and qualitative outcomes. For those reporting on LSRD activities from the chapters, please LSRD in you title so we can track ALL activities annually.

Campaign Title: Don’t Dam Salmon

Campaign Goals:
1. To restore a free-flowing lower Snake River,
2. to create public outcry and political will to breach the lower Snake River dams

Campaign Strategies:
TALKING POINTS – Strategies – Identify key talking points to use in LTE’s, Handout materials, Discussions with others. Name the campaign for media eg ‘Don’t Dam Salmon’ ,https://www.greatoldbroads.org/dont-dam-salmon/
Progress Completed

PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS – Strategies Develop Broads branded materials on the issue including handouts, signage (for demonstrations and educational events), Create Videos, web pages, etc. Distribute widely.
Progress Don’t Dam Salmons signs/posters available, half page handout with talking points available at webpage listed under number 1. Website was revised and update continually in 2020.

EDUCATIONAL EVENTS – Strategies -Organize education for Broads members, partners, and/or community. Identify speakers who can address issues, and inspire action.
Progress Multiple lectures/workshops etc. given on this topic in past 2 years. BRoadwalk 2018

MEDIA –Strategies – Identify relevant media outlets for campaign. Write Op-Eds, Letters to Editors, Press Releases. Engage local reporters, offer Radio interviews, Local news stations, etc.
Progress Multiple LTE’s written by Broads, radio interviews also. Press releases for both Broadwalk event (2018) and kayaktivism event (2020) which was cancelled

DEMONSTRATIONS –Strategies Organize and/or attend a public demonstration on this issue. Create clear signage, themes and costumes to maximize media attention. Invite media.
Progress Broads have attended multiple demonstrations, walks, etc.

PARTNERSHIPS – Strategies Partner with other non-profits, agencies, businesses, minority groups, tribal organizations to create live programs and media campaigns to get the word out
Progress Partnered with Nimiipuu on letters to federal legislators. Working with Advocates on the BPA angle. Attending POWWOW with Nimiipuu Sept 2020

AGENCIES – Strategies Meet with Bureau of Reclamation, etc. to learn more about the issue, and provide public input. When appropriate, prepare substantive comments on issues for agency review.
Progress Toured dams, had agency participation in Broadwalk, submitted comments for CRSO-DEIS. Decide response to FEIS when ROD comes out in September 2020. Submitted comments for Draft EIS 2020. ROD out September 28 2020

POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT– Strategies Meet with representatives to educate them on the issue. Arrive prepared with handouts, and ASK for support.
Progress Met with Governor Kate Brown and Ed Bowles, Fish and Wildlife. Washington reps in Oregon, WA, Idaho. Followup letters to Gov Brown and staff, sept 2020

ACTION ALERTS – Strategies Develop email and print version action alerts that offer clear guidance on actions people can take
Progress Developed half page handout with talking points, used for comments to state and federal reps. National Action Alert sent out on DEIS comment period.

BROADS WEBSITE –Strategies Develop page on Broads website that is used on all media for people who want find additional resources/action plans
Progress Done

TABLING EVENTS – Strategies Table at public events (Earth day, street fairs, farmers markets) to educate public about the issue. Use signage and handouts.
Progress Ongoing, we have given out many half page sheets in past 2 years. Tabled at Dammed to Extinction showings.

HIKES AND STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS – Strategies Organize hikes, stewardship projects, field trips to educate people on the issue. Document conditions in the field to support public comments or litigation. Provide verbal and printed materials outlining talking points.
Progress Did a Broadwalk, attended flotillas, marches, visited dams, etc.

LEGAL – Strategies Create or join lawsuit on this issue. Develop standing as a litigant through field visits.
Progress Pending legislation with Advocates for the West

FLOTILLA – Progress Strategies Nimiipuu River Rendezvous was held September 20-22 2019, at Hells Gate State Park in Lewiston ID. Earth Justice funded the event. Nimiipuu will not hold one in Lewiston in 2020. Broads will attend a private pow-wow in Wallowa, OR, September 11-13, 2020 where money will be raised for the Nimiipuu to build three new dugouts to be used in future flotillas.

DAMMED TO EXTINCTION MOVIE – Strategies Sponsor numerous showings of film
Progress Broads have sponsored and tabled at numerous showings. Film is now available online for $4.99 at www.damnedtoextinction.com

cont’
OUTCOMES Did we achieve our goals? Yes? No? Partially.

GOAL 1 – To restore a free-flowing lower Snake River, NO OUTCOME

GOAL 2- To create public outcry and political will to breach the lower Snake River dams – Partial Outcomes See Progress toward OUTCOMES above.

Important Highlights of LSRD Campaign

DC lobbying with congressional reps to determine who supported our goals.
Distributed quantitive economic and fish data to congressional reps that gave them counterpoints and leverage to support dam removal. These were new resources, many reps were grateful.
Senator Merkely (OR) requested his aide to s/u mtg with Rep Simpson (ID), a republican who supports salmon recovery
Meeting with Governor Brown (OR) with to cover substantiated arguments for dam removal (fish survival stats, economic data, etc.
Gained respect and recognition from partner organizations and politicians for the role Broads played in promoting dam removal. This had led to opportunities for litigation.
Submitted over 100? pages of comments on CRSO-DEIS
Developed cordial relationship with Nimiipuu Protect our Environment org. Co-signed letters to governors and congressional reps. Nimipuu came and spoke at the Broadwalk.