Salmon, orca can't survive on talk and promises
By Justin Hayes / For The Herald
Will Northwest leaders take action or fail our salmon and communities once again?
Idaho’s wild salmon are spiraling toward extinction with terrible consequences for both the environment and the people who depend on these fish, none more so than the Northwest’s Native American tribes. Many factors are contributing to dwindling runs of Snake River salmon, but the science is clear. No recovery plan is credible if it does not include removing the four federal dams on the Snake River in Washington state.
Idaho Republican Congressman Mike Simpson has a proposal to breach these four dams and make major investments in communities, energy and transportation infrastructure. This is the first time that a true leader in the Northwest has stepped up with a bold plan that is at the right scale to succeed. But time is running out for other political leaders to step up and take action.
Over the years, there have been countless collaboratives designed to restore salmon populations to abundance. I’ve participated in many of them. In nearly 30 years, and after spending nearly $17 billion, no real progress has been made. In many ways, we’ve regressed. Snake River salmon and steelhead are closer to extinction today than they’ve ever been before.
When folks mention dam breaching, there are assurances that those impacted would be “kept whole.” This is earnest. Talk of removing the dams always includes the recognition that this would have impacts on those who rely on them now. These folks would not be cast aside, but rather the region would work together to support them via new, better ways of doing things. New renewable energy, expanded railroads, and community revitalization would ensure that they would be “kept whole.”
https://www.heraldnet.com/opinion/comment-salmon-orca-cant-survive-on-talk-and-promises/
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