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Letter: Coverage by Ken Olsen The Daily Astorian, June 14, 2007

Thank you for reprinting my profile of U.S. District Judge James A. Redden ("Sitting judge spills the beans about feds in candid interview," "Judge chooses to hook onto salmon case," "Judge Redden, who has pledged to save salmon, doesn't like eating it," The Daily Astorian, Feb. 2, 4 and 6).

It is important, however, to correct two errors. The headlines bestowed by The Daily Astorian may give readers the wrong impression about the contents and nature of the interview. Judge Redden does not say anything in the story that he has not also expressed in open court or in his written rulings and orders regarding the Columbia and Snake rivers litigation. It was clear throughout the interview that he would not go beyond anything that is not already in the public record.

Second, contrary to the subhead ("U.S. District Court Judge Jim Redden may order four Snake River dams removed," The Daily Astorian, Feb. 2), the story quotes a court order where Redden says he may order the federal agencies to consider breaching the four dams on the lower Snake River if all else fails - a reference to an option the federal agencies offered in their 2000 salmon recovery plan or biological opinion.

Thank you for your high quality coverage of this and other natural resource issues.