In early February, 2008 Federal and state agenceis, and Washington environmental and recreational organizations filed comments on the Public Utility District No. 1 of Okanogan County's Draft License Application for the proposed Enloe Hydroelectric Project, Project No. 12569, on the Similkameen River. This included comments from Coalition members and partners, including: American Rivers, the Center for Environmental Law and Policy, the Selkirk Conservation Alliance, the North Cascades Conservation Council, the Cascade Chapter of the Sierra Club, and the Columbia River Bioregional Education Project. Seperate comments were filed by American Whitewater.

A major issue in these comments, and throughout the history of this proposed dam, has been the need to resolve the issue of the historic extent of fish runs in the Similkameen River prior to construction of Enloe Dam. For example, the National Marine Fisheries Service, in its June 1, 1992 filing in one of the previous attempts to relicense the project, stated that “[d]espite the clear potential for anadromous fisheries in the Similkameen River Basin, there is an unresolved issue of the presence of anadromous fish in the Similkameen River Basin prior to construction of Enloe Dam.” (National Marine Fisheries Service Comments, Recommendations, and Fishway Prescriptions and Conditions, June 1, 1992, p. 3). This sentiment is repeated throughout the history of relicensing efforts at the Enloe Project. Nonetheless, in this most recent draft application the PUD failed to once again conduct scientific studies that would help resolve the issue. In an effort to resolve the issue, Environmental organizations urged the PUD to undertake the studies set forth in the January 8, 2008 letter to Dan Boettger, Okanogan Public Utility District from Virginia Butler, Portland State University. (Attached)