A federal judge ruled today that the Bush administration's plan for balancing salmon against hydroelectric dams in the Columbia Basin violates the Endangered Species Act.

U-S District Judge James Redden in Portland ruled in favor of a challenge by environmentalists, Indian tribes and fishermen.

Redden had previously ruled that a biological opinion issued by the Bush administration in 2000 was illegal.

That, after the federal government could NOT guarantee that habitat enhancements and upgrades to hatchery and dam operations would be done.

The administration then issued a new biological opinion, which set a new course for salmon recovery.

The government's new opinion said dams were part of the ecosystem, and could not be removed.

It proposed spending six (b) billion dollars on dam improvements over the next 10 years.