Registration Announced for Upcoming Columbia River Basin Listening Session

Community members may also submit written comments to Regulations.gov

WASHINGTON, May 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) is announcing registration for an upcoming virtual listening session so the parties involved in the Columbia River Basin (CRB) mediation process can gather information and perspectives from the public to inform the ongoing mediation. FMCS is the neutral, impartial agency facilitating and mediating the CRB negotiations between the U.S. Government and various stakeholders.

There is strong regional interest in finding long-term and durable solutions to restoring salmon and other native fish populations in the CRB while honoring Federal commitments to Tribal Nations, delivering affordable and reliable clean power, and meeting the many resilience needs of the regional stakeholders.

The next listening session will take place online Thursday, May 25, 2023, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. PDT. A limited number of three-minute speaking slots will be available to the public. Members of the press and public are also invited to listen. Advanced registration is required.

To register as a speaker or listener, please visit www.fmcs.gov/CRBListeningRegistration beginning at 12 p.m. PDT Thursday, May 4, 2023. Please note that spots for speakers are limited and will be accepted only on a "first come, first served" basis using the registration link published at the URL above.

Community members and other interested persons may also submit written comments in response to a Request for Information that will be published in the Federal Register tomorrow. Submitted comments will be available on a public docket and all parties to the mediation will be able to view them.

Comments must be identified by docket number CEQ–2023–0002 and submitted using the Federal eRulemaking Portal at www.regulations.gov. Interested persons are encouraged to submit comments within 60 days so that their input can best be used in the ongoing mediation process, but comments will be accepted through August 31, 2023, when the agreement staying litigation and allowing for the mediation is set to expire.

The U.S. Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service (FMCS) is the nation's premier public agency for dispute resolution and conflict management. FMCS was created by Congress as a neutral and independent government agency upon enactment of the Labor-Management Relations Act of 1947 (Taft-Hartley Act) and mandated to resolve industrial conflict and promote labor-management peace and cooperation, minimizing the impact of these disputes on the free flow of commerce. With headquarters in Washington, D.C. and offices across the country, the agency has a proud track record of decades of effective dispute resolution and conflict management services for employers and unions across industries and work activities in the private, public, and federal sectors. FMCS is also recognized for its success facilitating negotiated rulemaking processes and for its robust employment mediation program in the federal sector as well as its global program, partnering with more than 60 countries to provide international consulting and training. For more on FMCS or to request services, visit www.fmcs.gov

SOURCE Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service