News
Things We Have Done
Deer Flat NWR Planning Update 4.pdf
10-26-2011
Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge Initiates Plan for the Future
10-17-11
Information on
Save Lake Lowell
Preliminary Management Alternatives for Deer Flat Refuge
Minidoka National Wildlife Refuge Initiates Plan for the Future
10-17-11

See a news story that affects the IJBANews@IJBA.net
IOSRWT Martin Access Support Letter Request
Fellow Idaho Oregon Snake River Water Trail members, would you please take a moment to look over the attached information on our proposed improvements at the Idaho Fish and Games Martin Access Area. I realize this is one of the busiest times of the year, but if you find that you support this project, a few moments may make a difference. Public and user support is very important in the grant request process, it can make or break a project like Martin Access.
Presently, IDFG and Canyon County Parks and Waterways are working together toward obtaining a Recreational Vehicle Grant from Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation. Time is fast approaching to submit this RV Grant request, so please don’t hesitate if you choose to participate. A few sentences along with your full name, date and contact information, or on company letterhead will do the trick. I have also included a couple past support letters for ideas if you like.
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to give me a call. Additionally, a public hearing will be held at Canyon County Parks and Waterways office 12880, Iowa, at 6:30pm. tonight. Thank you, Dennis.
Dennis D. Hardy
Southwest Region Fishing and
Boating Access
3101 S. Powerline Rd.
Nampa, Idaho 83686
208-465-8465
Fax 208-465-8467
FROM: NATIONAL MARINE
MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION
231 South LaSalle Street,
Suite 2050
Chicago, IL 60604
For
Immediate Release
Department
of Energy Reports Show Severe Damage to Marine Engines
from E15, Reinforcing Recreational Boating Industry
Concerns
WASHINGTON, D.C. – October
25, 2011– On Friday the U.S. Department of Energy’s
Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy released
the results of two studies on the effects of using fuel
that is 15 percent ethanol in volume (E15) in marine
engines. The studies were conducted on engines provided
by two marine engine manufactures; Both are members of
National Marine Manufacturers Association
(NMMA).
The long-awaited reports show
significant problems with outboard, stern drive and
inboard engines. Results of the reports show severe
damage to engine components and an increase in exhaust
emissions, reinforcing the recreational boating
industry’s concern that E15 is not a suitable fuel for
marine engines.
Emissions and durability
testing compared E15 fuel and fuel containing zero
percent ethanol (E0) and examined exhaust emissions,
exhaust gas temperature, torque, power, barometric
pressure, air temperature, and fuel flow. Specifically,
the report showed degraded emissions performance outside
of engine certification limits as well as increased fuel
consumption. In separate testing on engine durability,
each tested engine showed deterioration, including two
of the three outboard engines, with damages severe
enough to prevent them from completing the test cycle.
The E0 test engines did not exhibit any fuel related
issues.
NMMA worked with its
manufacturer members in securing the resources and
facilitating the testing for these reports. NMMA
supports further testing that will provide additional
understanding about the negative effects of E15 on
marine engines.
NMMA President Thom Dammrich
says, “Current proposals by the ethanol industry to
increase the amount of ethanol in gasoline should
seriously concern all boaters and owners of other small
engine equipment. Although NMMA strongly supports
renewable fuels as a means to reduce America’s
dependence on foreign sources of oil and improve the
environment, there is growing evidence that ethanol is
not the answer to America’s energy challenge.”
For more information, please
read the full versions of the
Emissions and Durability test or
the Fuel Endurance test from the
Department of Energy. For questions or media inquiries
please contact Lauren Dunn at 202-280-6928 or
ldunn@nmma.org.
Both Volvo Penta and
Mercury Marine provided test engines as well as the
testing facilities. The U.S. Department of Energy
approved the final analysis of the results.
###
About NMMA:
National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA)
is the leading association representing the recreational
boating industry in North America. NMMA member companies
produce more than 80 percent of the boats, engines,
trailers, accessories and gear used by boaters and
anglers throughout the U.S. and Canada. The association
is dedicated to industry growth through programs in
public policy advocacy, market statistics and research,
product quality assurance and promotion of the boating
lifestyle. For more information visit
www.nmma.org.
Dave
Dahm, IDPR boating administrator, wins national honor!
Dave Dahms, boating law
administrator for the Idaho Department of Parks and
Recreation, has been awarded the Innovations in
Technology Award from the National Association of State
Boating Law Administrators, for developing an online
grant application for county sheriff's offices to
request Safe Boating Act funds. Dahms said counties have
given the department “lots of positive feedback” on the
new system. “It's much easier to submit a grant than our
old system, and it saves them time,” he said. “This
allows our valued county sheriff partners to spend less
time on paperwork and more time working to make the
waters safer for Idaho boaters.”
Last year's winner was the Alabama Marine Police for its
Conservation Officer Operations Reporting System; the
award recognizes initiatives that use technology to
advance boating safety.
Subject:
Hells Canyon flows increasing September 6
September has arrived and Idaho Power is preparing for the Fall Chinook spawning season. This year is a challenge to plan Hells Canyon fall operations due to the higher than normal reservoir storage upstream of Milner Dam. The USBR plans to maintain higher than normal flows from the upper Snake this fall. So, Idaho Power needs to draft Brownlee deeper than normal to store the extra water coming from upstream to provide flat flows during spawning.
Idaho Power plans to wait until after Labor Day to increase outflows and draft Brownlee Reservoir. Hells Canyon outflow will average about 24,000 cfs, ranging from 18,000 cfs to 28,000 cfs from September 6 to approximately October 1. Idaho Power then plans to provide flat flows out of Hells Canyon Dam during the spawning period from about October 10 through December 5. These flows are higher than the normal , so please let other boaters and anglers know. I will send emails to keep you informed of significant changes.
Please access Idaho Power’s website frequently at, http://www.idahopower.com/OurEnvironment/WaterInformation/Hellsrivflw/default.cfm ,
for possible changes to our estimate of future Hells Canyon Dam outflows.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at (208)388-5760 (ppace@idahopower.com) or Shaun Parkinson at (208)388-2495 (SParkinson@idahopower.com).
Pamela Pace, P.E.
Senior Engineer
Water Management
Idaho Power Company
Thank you for your continued participation in the Interagency Coordinating Team (ICT) for the Deer Flat NWR Comprehensive Conservation Plan (CCP). Please find the monthly update for August below.
Comprehensive Conservation Plan - Interagency
Coordinating Team
Monthly Update
August 30, 2011
Comments
Between May 27 - July 29 the Refuge received
almost 350 comments on the Preliminary Draft
Alternatives. We heard from the horseback riding, wind
sports, hunting, angling, motor boating communities
among others. Comments provided on the Preliminary Draft
Alternatives included positives, negatives, issues, and
solutions.
Planning Update 4
Given the interest in the Comprehensive
Conservation Planning process, the Refuge is preparing
Planning Update 4. This Planning Update will summarize
what we have heard from the public and partners since
May. These comments will be taken into account as we
begin writing the Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan
and Environmental Impact Statement. We hope to have the
planning update on our website and sent to our mailing
list by the end of October. Keep an eye out for your
copy!
Informational Presentation and Tour
Refuge staff, regional leadership, and a
representative of the Department of the Interior
provided an informational presentation and tour to staff
members of Senators Crapo and Risch, and Congressman
Labrador on August 18th. The informational presentation
included a brief history of Deer Flat NWR, a discussion
of the Comprehensive Conservation Planning Process, a
description of planning outreach to date, and a listing
of some of the types of comments received since May
27th. There was a brief question and answer period, and
then the attendees were provided a tour of the Lake
Lowell Unit of the Refuge with issues specific to the
Comprehensive Conservation Plan pointed out along the
way.
Extended Team Update
Notes captured during the Extended Team meetings
in June are now available on the Refuge's planning web
page. There are links to the issues tables, goals and
objectives notes, as well as general meeting notes.
Next Steps
Refuge staff will be hard at work reshaping
alternatives and writing a draft CCP and EIS. As
portions of the draft plan are created, Extended Team
members will be called upon to provide feedback,
additional information, and content. The draft plan will
be made available for public comment in the spring of
2012.
Thanks again for staying involved!
Until the September Update,
Jennifer
______________________
Jennifer Brown-Scott
Refuge Manager
Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge
Lake Lowell & Snake River Islands Units
Phone: (208) 467-9278
Email:
Jennifer_BrownScott@fws.gov
Intermountain Jet Boat