Idaho Republican gets support for dam breach proposal
By Terry Murry on Tuesday, February 9th, 2021 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WASHINGTON, D.C. – For the first time, a Republican senior congressman has put forth a proposal that would see the four lower Snake River dams be removed. Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) is proposing a $33.5 billion dollar plan that would decommission the dams while the money would also be used to explore new energy sources and add jobs and an infrastructure stimulus package.
The plan requires environmental groups to stop filing lawsuits against the operation of the dams. Simpson said in devising the plan he and his staff have held more than 300 meetings with stakeholders, tribes, elected representatives and other interested parties.
“I want to be very clear,” Simpson said in a prepared statement. “I have not drafted legislation and I am not currently drafting legislation. A concept like this will take all the Northwest delegation governors, tribes, and stakeholders working together to draft a solution. It will be no easy task and on a very tight timeline.”
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Spokane) opposes removing the dams. She repeated that opposition when Simpson unveiled his plan.
“These dams are the beating heart of Eastern Washington,” McMorris Rodgers stated. “Spending $33 billion to breach them with no guarantee that doing so will restore salmon populations is a drastic, fiscally irresponsible leap to take.”
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, expressed support for Simpson’s plan, issuing a statement that said it would restore salmon and steelhead stocks in the Columbia Basin while securing necessary investments for the region.
The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation announced its support for Simpson’s plans as well.
“Restoring the lower Snake River will allow salmon, steelhead, and lamprey to flourish in the rivers and streams of the Snake Basin,” CTUIR Board of Trustees Chairwoman Kat Brigham said. “This has long been a priority because these are the CTUIR’s ancestral traditional use areas, such as the Grande Ronde, Imnaha, Lostine, Minam, Tucannon, and Wallowa rivers and their tributaries.”
With the Democratic majority in Congress and President Biden in the White House, Simpson’s plan appears to be attempt to maintain regional control over the area and make up for some of the losses that would be experienced by removing the dams.
“Most of us saw what happened to Northwest timber communities that were devastated by the spotted own wars,” Simpson wrote. “It would be a tragedy if future generations looked back and wished that we current Northwest leaders and stakeholders would have at least taken the time to explore this opportunity to develop our own Northwest solution to protect stakeholders and save the salmon.”
The four dams in question are the Lower Granite Dam, the Little Goose Dam, the Lower Monumental Dam, and Ice Harbor Dam.
Photo is the Little Goose Dam
