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NORTHWEST Study: dams led to salmon die-off on Snake River East Oregonian Page 2A AP file photo In this Oct. 19, 2016 file photo, a man fishes for salmon in the Snake River above the Lower Granite Dam in Washington state. Engineers to take a hard look at breaching the dams to keep water temperatures healthy for fish. “Snake River dam removal needs to be on the table,” Johnson said. “Because it will work.” Last year, a federal judge in Portland rejected the federal government’s latest proposal for managing dams in the Columbia Basin. U.S. District Court Judge Michal Simon ruled the plan needs a major overhaul, and that breaching one or more of the lower Snake dams ought to be considered. In its analysis, Columbia Riverkeeper focused on 2015 because, as Johnson said, it shows what could become the new normal for the region given climate change, with the Pacific Northwest BRIEFLY Amazon plans to add another massive Oregon warehouse director for Northwest RiverPartners, criticized the modeling in the report, which she said is overly simple and one-dimensional. It is especially glaring that the study did not incorporate use of cold water in Brownlee and Dworshak reservoirs to reduce water temperature during the 2015 crisis, she added. “This is hardly a convincing analysis to argue for Snake dam removal, a draconian action given the benefits these dams provide,” Flores said. Northwest RiverPartners is an organization that represents farmers, ports, electric utilities and businesses along the Columbia and Snake rivers. Flores said the study is a thinly disguised attempt to under- mine legislation that would keep the current salmon plan in place while agencies work out a new hydro system oper- ations plan. A spokeswoman for the Army Corps of Engineers in Walla Walla declined to comment on the study Monday. The Corps is working along with Bureau of Reclamation and Bonne- ville Power Administration on an updated environmental impact statement on 14 dams within the interior Columbia Basin, including the lower Snake dams. By GEORGE PLAVEN East Oregonian A new report released by environmental advocacy group Columbia Riverkeeper suggests that the massive die-off of Snake River sockeye salmon during the exception- ally hot and dry summer of 2015 could have been avoided, if not for the four federal dams on the lower Snake River in eastern Washington. More than 250,000 endan- gered sockeye died due to a lethal combination of hot weather and low flows that raised water temperatures in the Columbia and Snake rivers. Migrating salmon rely on cold water for survival, and have trouble moving upstream as temperatures reach 68 degrees. Using computer simula- tions, Columbia Riverkeeper determined that average river temperatures would likely have remained below 68 degrees in the lower Snake River if the four dams — Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose and Lower Granite — were not in place. Miles Johnson, clean water attorney for Columbia Riverkeeper and one of the authors on the report, said he hopes it will prompt the Envi- ronmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Tuesday, August 29, 2017 trending toward wetter springs and hotter summers. The study, which was released Aug. 14, uses a model known as “RBM-10,” developed by the EPA in 2001 to study temperatures of the Columbia and Snake rivers. RBM-10 takes into account a number of different factors, including air temperature and river geometry, to come up with a prediction of water temperature. According to the report, a free-flowing lower Snake River would have remained cooler than 68 degrees throughout most of the summer of 2015. On the other hand, temperatures broke 68 degrees from mid-June until September in most of the dammed lower Snake. Terry Flores, executive PORTLAND (AP) — Amazon plans to hire more than 1,000 full-time employees to work in a new packing and shipping warehouse in Salem. The company announced the million- square-foot facility on Monday, but declined to say when it will be up and running. Sanjay Shah is Amazon’s vice president of North America Customer Fulfillment. Shah said in a statement that support from Gov. Kate Brown, local leaders and others was instrumental in the company’s decision to put the warehouse in the state capital. The online retail giant previously announced plans to put a similar warehouse in Troutdale, near Portland. Brown says Amazon’s expansion means “more jobs and bright futures” for Oregonians. Hillary Clinton to speak in Portland to promote book New path sought for high-voltage transmission lines BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Federal officials on Monday reopened public comments on proposed routes for two high- voltage transmission lines in Idaho intended to modernize the Pacific Northwest’s energy grid. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management announced it will take comments through Sept. 27 for two segments of the Gateway West project proposed by Idaho Power and Rocky Mountain Power. The BLM in January approved routes for the two 500-kilovolt transmission lines on public land in Idaho’s Gooding, Elmore, Owyhee, Cassia and Twin Falls coun- ties. But legislation by Idaho Republican Rep. Mike Simpson signed into law in May by President Donald Trump mandates segments not connected to those routes. The legislation removes 2,800 acres from the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area so 74 miles of transmis- sion lines can go through. The BLM is now trying to connect the remaining 250 miles of transmission lines with those segments. As part of that process, it’s taking public comments for an envi- ronmental assessment. “We need to make sure the alternative we now select connects with those two statutory rights of way,” said BLM spokeswoman Heather Feeney. The 1,000-mile Gateway West project is one side of a giant triangle of transmission lines that Rocky Mountain Power says are necessary to meet future demands in the region and improve reliability. One part is finished, and the other segment is at an earlier stage in the environmental review process. The segment going through Idaho would deliver power from southern Wyoming to points west, potentially tapping into Wyoming’s wind energy. Federal officials have already approved the rest of the Gateway West project, but no work has started. Feeney said a draft of the environmental assessment on the remaining segments should be ready by the end of this year, with a final decision expected in the spring. “The route through the Birds of Prey was a fair and balanced outcome to this transmission siting effort,” said Idaho Power spokes- woman Stephanie McCurdy. “The State of Idaho, local units of government, ranchers, environmental interests and project proponents worked hard together to find this locally driven, common sense solution.” The BLM has been working on the project since 2008, trying to thread the powerlines through a mixture of private, state and public lands that also includes key habitat for imperiled sage grouse and the national conservation area that is prime habitat for raptors. It’s been a difficult process, and the final decision in January was appealed by envi- ronmental groups, causing it to head to the Interior Board of Land Appeals. Idaho Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter also asked Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to direct the BLM to reconsider its January decision and review other routes using more federal public land. The BLM then asked the Interior Board of Land Appeals to remand the matter. Didn’t receive your paper? Call 1-800-522-0255 before noon Tuesday through Friday or before 10 a.m. Saturday for same-day redelivery — Founded Oct. 16, 1875 — 211 S.E. Byers Ave., Pendleton 541-276-2211 333 E. 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PORTLAND (AP) — Former Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton will visit Portland to promote her new book, “What Happened.” In the book to be released Sept. 12, Clinton discusses her losing presidential bid, her thoughts on being a woman in politics and what it was like to campaign against President Donald Trump. She will speak Dec. 12 at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Tickets go on sale Sept. 18. Portland is her last stop on an eight-city book tour that starts in late October. Single copy price: $1 Tuesday through Friday, $1.50 Saturday TODAY WEDNESDAY Mostly sunny and very hot Sunny and very warm 100° 64° 94° 60° THURSDAY Abundant sun and pleasant FRIDAY Very warm with plenty of sun PENDLETON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 88° 61° 93° 62° 98° 63° HERMISTON TEMPERATURE FORECAST 96° 61° 102° 64° PENDLETON through 3 p.m. yesterday TEMPERATURE HIGH LOW 95° 84° 105° (1972) 59° 55° 37° (1909) PRECIPITATION 24 hours ending 3 p.m. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date 0.00" 0.07" 0.38" 11.37" 7.34" 8.33" HERMISTON through 3 p.m. yesterday TEMPERATURE Yesterday Normals Records HIGH LOW 97° 85° 101° (1986) 60° 54° 40° (1964) PRECIPITATION 24 hours ending 3 p.m. Month to date Normal month to date Year to date Last year to date Normal year to date Trace 0.06" 0.18" 6.65" 4.99" 6.10" SUN AND MOON Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today First Full Aug 29 Sep 5 Last Sep 12 95° 59° 101° 61° Seattle 85/58 ALMANAC Yesterday Normals Records 91° 60° 6:13 a.m. 7:39 p.m. 2:25 p.m. none New Sep 19 Spokane Wenatchee 98/65 98/68 Tacoma Moses 84/54 Lake Pullman Aberdeen Olympia Yakima 101/59 98/58 67/58 83/54 102/60 Longview Kennewick Walla Walla 84/57 99/70 Lewiston 101/63 Astoria 101/66 68/55 Portland Enterprise Hermiston 90/59 Pendleton 95/56 The Dalles 102/64 100/64 100/65 La Grande Salem 96/55 90/55 Albany Corvallis 88/52 85/51 John Day 98/58 Ontario Eugene Bend 100/62 85/52 96/55 Caldwell Burns 100/65 96/49 REGIONAL CITIES Today Classified & Legal Advertising 1-800-962-2819 or 541-278-2678 classifieds@eastoregonian.com or legals@eastoregonian.com NEWS • To submit news tips and press releases: • call 541-966-0818 • fax 541-276-8314 • email news@eastoregonian.com • To submit community events, calendar items and Your EO News: email community@eastoregonian.com or call Tammy Malgesini at 541-564-4539 or Renee Struthers at 541-966-0818. • To submit engagements, weddings and anniversaries: email rstruthers@eastoregonian.com or visit www.eastoregonian. com/community/announcements • To submit a Letter to the Editor: mail to Managing Editor Daniel Wattenburger, 211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801 or email editor@eastoregonian.com. • To submit sports or outdoors information or tips: 541-966-0838 • sports@eastoregonian.com Astoria Baker City Bend Brookings Burns Enterprise Eugene Heppner Hermiston John Day Klamath Falls La Grande Meacham Medford Newport North Bend Ontario Pasco Pendleton Portland Redmond Salem Spokane Ukiah Vancouver Walla Walla Yakima Hi 68 99 96 64 96 95 85 97 102 98 93 96 94 98 63 64 100 100 100 90 99 90 98 96 89 99 102 Lo 55 52 55 53 49 56 52 62 64 58 50 55 53 60 53 54 62 60 64 59 51 55 65 51 56 70 60 W c s pc pc s pc s s s s pc s s pc pc pc s s s s pc s s s s s s NATIONAL WEATHER TODAY Wed. Hi 68 94 88 65 92 91 79 91 96 92 87 90 88 90 63 66 98 96 94 79 89 81 92 90 78 94 96 Lo 55 49 49 55 46 53 52 59 61 54 46 52 49 56 51 53 62 54 60 60 44 57 57 48 60 64 57 W pc s pc pc s s pc s s s pc s s pc pc pc pc s s pc pc pc s s pc s s WORLD CITIES Today Beijing Hong Kong Jerusalem London Mexico City Moscow Paris Rome Seoul Sydney Tokyo Hi 78 91 84 79 69 59 91 88 74 63 87 Lo 59 82 64 56 58 44 67 67 59 48 76 W pc pc s pc c c pc s pc pc c Wed. Hi 81 92 84 59 72 64 79 86 75 64 85 Lo 63 82 64 50 56 47 55 67 60 47 72 W s s s r c c t s c sh r WINDS Medford 98/60 (in mph) Klamath Falls 93/50 Boardman Pendleton REGIONAL FORECAST Coastal Oregon: Hazy sunshine today. Cooler across the north; smoky in the south. Eastern and Central Oregon: Mostly sunny and very hot today. Patchy clouds tonight. Hot tomorrow. Western Washington: Plenty of sunshine today; however, low clouds at the coast. Eastern Washington: Sunshine today. Clear tonight. Sunshine tomorrow; however, some clouds in the north. Cascades: Mostly sunny and very warm today. Mainly clear tonight. Northern California: Mostly sunny today. Hot in central parts; pleasant at the coast. Today Wednesday WSW 4-8 WNW 6-12 WSW 7-14 W 7-14 UV INDEX TODAY Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows. 1 SALEM (AP) — A motorcyclist struck and killed a black bear that wandered into his lane of travel in Oregon. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office said Sunday night that the man was flown to a hospital for treatment of his injuries. The black bear died at the scene and was taken care of by Forest Service employees. The authorities say the collision is a reminder to be careful when driving in rural areas. COMMERCIAL PRINTING Production Manager: Mike Jensen 541-215-0824 • mjensen@eastoregonian.com SATURDAY Sizzling sunshine and very hot Motorcyclist strikes black bear in Marion County Corrections Copyright © 2017, EO Media Group Forecast PORTLAND (AP) — A federal judge sentenced a North Carolina man on Monday to two years on probation for his role in last year’s takeover of a national wildlife refuge in Oregon. U.S. District Judge Robert Jones also ordered Jason Blomgren to pay $3,000 restitution. The judge, however, expressed doubt that Blomgren — with $3.83 to his name — would be able to pay. “You’re about as broke as anyone I’ve seen,” Jones said at the hearing. Blomgren traveled to southeastern Oregon in January 2016 to perform guard duty during the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy months before the autumn 2016 trial in which occupation leader Ammon Bundy and six others were acquitted. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Gabriel described Blomgren on Monday as a minor player in the 41-day occupation to protest federal land use policies. He said Blomgren arrived after it began and spent 15 days on the refuge. The East Oregonian works hard to be accurate and sincerely regrets any errors. If you notice a mistake in the paper, please call 541-966-0818. ADVERTISING Advertising Director: Marissa Williams 541-278-2669 • addirector@eastoregonian.com Advertising Services: Laura Jensen 541-966-0806 • ljensen@eastoregonian.com Multimedia Consultants: • Danni Halladay 541-278-2683 • dhalladay@eastoregonian.com • Jeanne Jewett 541-564-4531 • jjewett@eastoregonian.com • Dayle Stinson 541-278-2670 • dstinson@eastoregonian.com • Angela Treadwell 541-966-0827 • atreadwell@eastoregonian.com • Audra Workman 541-564-4538 • aworkman@eastoregonian.com Subscriber services: For home delivery, vacation stops or delivery concerns: 1-800-522-0255 Refuge occupier sentenced to probation 3 5 5 3 1 8 a.m. 10 a.m. Noon 2 p.m. 4 p.m. 6 p.m. 0-2, Low 3-5, Moderate 6-7, High; 8-10, Very High; 11+, Extreme The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index™ num- ber, the greater the need for eye and skin protection. Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2017 Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation. Temperature bands are highs for the day. -10s -0s showers t-storms 0s 10s rain 20s flurries 30s 40s snow ice 50s 60s cold front 70s 80s 90s 100s warm front stationary front 110s high low National Summary: Harvey will bring more rain and flooding to Texas and Louisiana today. Another tropical system will bring rain, gusty winds and rough surf to the East coast. Storms will dot the Midwest. The West will be hot. Yesterday’s National Extremes: (for the 48 contiguous states) High 115° in Palm Springs, Calif. Low 32° in West Yellowstone, Mont. NATIONAL CITIES Today Albuquerque Atlanta Atlantic City Baltimore Billings Birmingham Boise Boston Charleston, SC Charleston, WV Chicago Cleveland Dallas Denver Detroit El Paso Fairbanks Fargo Honolulu Houston Indianapolis Jacksonville Kansas City Las Vegas Little Rock Los Angeles Hi 87 85 72 68 93 84 100 68 81 81 77 76 86 92 73 89 58 86 87 74 79 90 78 109 84 100 Lo 64 70 63 59 63 69 71 59 68 61 61 60 70 61 61 65 48 59 74 72 63 73 60 85 69 75 W t pc r r pc c s pc pc c sh t pc s r s r s pc r t pc s s c s Wed. Hi 88 76 76 77 95 76 95 69 85 82 80 80 86 91 80 91 65 81 88 79 82 89 82 108 79 98 Lo 63 69 65 62 65 71 65 58 72 63 63 62 72 60 62 66 45 56 75 73 64 74 61 85 70 74 W t sh pc pc s r pc r pc pc pc pc c pc pc s pc s s r pc t s pc sh s Today Hi Louisville 82 Memphis 86 Miami 92 Milwaukee 73 Minneapolis 78 Nashville 87 New Orleans 83 New York City 70 Oklahoma City 83 Omaha 80 Philadelphia 70 Phoenix 110 Portland, ME 71 Providence 71 Raleigh 74 Rapid City 92 Reno 97 Sacramento 98 St. Louis 82 Salt Lake City 98 San Diego 90 San Francisco 71 Seattle 85 Tucson 102 Washington, DC 70 Wichita 84 Lo 67 70 79 61 62 69 76 59 60 59 60 87 51 58 62 58 65 62 64 70 73 58 58 77 63 60 W t pc pc pc s pc r c s s r s pc pc r s s s pc s pc s s pc r s Wed. Hi 85 80 92 78 81 79 86 77 84 84 76 110 71 72 84 90 94 97 84 95 86 72 75 101 78 85 Lo 69 72 80 63 60 68 77 66 64 60 64 85 53 56 69 59 62 60 67 70 72 57 59 74 67 61 Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice. W pc r sh pc t t r pc s s pc s c r pc pc pc s pc t s s pc t pc s