You may have heard state and local hands are tied until the Columbia River System Operations (CSRO) prepares another Environmental Impact Statement. (Yeah, we know, they’re trying to muddy the waters and drag their feet.) That study isn’t expected until 2022—and it’s estimated to cost taxpayers roughly $100 million. Who’s got that much dam time and money to waste?!
GOVERNOR INSLEE HAS THE AUTHORITY TO INITIATE RESTORATION OF THE SNAKE RIVER
Dams are a political hot potato, and Washington politicians keep trying to pass off responsibility. They don’t need Congressional approval, nor another study that will tell us, yet again, that it’s about dam time to restore the Snake River. Governor Inslee can—and should—publicly declare his support for removing the Lower Snake River Dams, beginning in 2018, and call on Bonneville Power and the US Army Corps of Engineers to do so immediately.
Due to the unprecedented display of grief by a grieving mother orca, Tahlequah (J35), international media attention is offering Inslee and his Orca Task Force the opportunity to show they are willing to save the resident orcas and wild salmon—not just say they want to.
THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS ALREADY HAS THE RESEARCH TO SUPPORT BREACHING
Thanks to $33 million worth of studies, we know that breaching is the most effective route to begin restoring the Snake River and save its salmon. In 2002, the Corps’ own Environmental Impact Statement concluded that breaching is the only viable way to bring back wild salmon. Yet here we are, 16 years later, and that Alternative 4 is still just sitting there while salmon vanish and orcas starve.
The Corps can use the 2002 EIS with an updated Record of Decision (ROD) and put the Lower Snake River Dams on “non-operational” status without congressional approval.
RESTORATION CAN AND SHOULD BEGIN *NOW*
This can happen quickly. Since neither the US Army Corps of Engineers nor the Bonneville Power Administration require congressional approval to breach the dams, we could see results by summer 2019.
Breaching is a lot less extreme than it sounds: it just means clearing out the embankment next to all the dam infrastructure and diverting the flow. Once the decision is made, it would be just months, not years, to restore critical portions of the river to near-natural flow.
After leaders begin the process in December 2018, it would take 45–60 days to get folks off the river and then one week to remove the earthen berms.
Two dams (the Lower Granite and Little Goose) would be dewatered during the non-migration period from January–March of 2019 and by summer’s end, four million more salmon would be given the chance for survival. Once the other two dams are taken out (the Lower Monumental and Ice Harbor), several million more salmon smolts would add to the river’s ecology.
“But oh my! [clutches pearls] How will taxpayers ever pay the billions upon billions it would take?”
Here’s some great news: the entire operation would cost a little over $300 million and would be paid for without expense to BPA or its ratepayers, thanks to the 4H10C Fish Credit.1 Don’t believe the histrionic performances of those who say it would cost billions. By all means, enjoy their pearl-clutching performance—just be sure to ask them for scientific evidence once they’re done feigning distress.
SO WHY HAVEN’T GOVERNOR INSLEE AND SENATORS CANTWELL AND MURRAY DECLARED SUPPORT FOR THE IMMEDIATE REMOVAL OF MONEY-LOSING, SALMON-KILLING, ORCA-STARVING DAMS?
Let’s ask ’em:
Governor Jay Inslee
Call (360) 902-4111 or write him on Twitter or send an email
Senator Maria Cantwell
Call (206) 220-6400 or write her on Twitter or send an email
Senator Patty Murray
Call (206) 553-5545 or write her on Twitter or send an email