[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 54 (Friday, March 29, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E289]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE CHELAN PUD HABITAT CONSERVATION PLANS 20TH ANNIVERSARY

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                           HON. DAN NEWHOUSE

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 29, 2024

  Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 20th 
anniversary of the Chelan County Public Utility District's Habitat 
Conservation Plans, a program to conserve anadromous salmon and 
steelhead in the Columbia River.
  The Habitat Conservation Plans committed the Chelan PUD to a 50-year-
program to ensure the Roch Island and Rocky Reach hydro projects do not 
harm mid-Columbia salmon and steelhead runs. This impressive feat is 
accomplished through a multitude of projects, including spill over 
dams, offsite hatchery programs, improvements in fish survival metrics, 
and habitat restoration and enhancement in tributaries.
  At the 20-year mark, the Habitat Conservation Plans' success is 
unmatched. The juvenile and adult fish survival is at an impressive 
high, and the improvements in habitats and hatchery production is 
remarkable.
  I look forward to seeing what this program has in store for its next 
30 years, and I commend the Chelan Public Utility's commitment to the 
conservation and protection of our wildlife, natural resources, and the 
clean and reliable hydropower in Central Washington.

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