Plunging into Hot Waters

PEAC achieved a critical interim victory in its case for Northwest Environmental Advocates (NWEA) challenging federal agencies’ erroneous approval of Oregon water temperature and inter-gravel dissolved oxygen standards lethal to critically endangered salmon, steelhead and bull trout.

After rounds of briefing, federal district court Judge Haggerty granted NWEA and PEAC’s motion to complete the agencies’ administrative records, from which they had tried to exclude thousands of documents from public scrutiny. This significant victory prevents such shielding and enables PEAC to begin briefing the case later this spring.

PEAC staff attorneys Allison LaPlante and Melissa Powers worked on these motions, with Allison taking the lead and doing a fantastic job. PEAC students Jamie Saul, Ellen Trescott, Morgan Wyenn and Liz Crosson toiled evenings and weekends to help us on the motions.