By Bill Arthur, Chair, Snake/Columbia River Salmon Campaign & Alex Craven, Senior Organizer, Our Wild America Campaign
The Trump administration's newly released plan for Snake and Columbia River salmon and steelhead severely fails our iconic Northwest species.
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This month, the Trump administration released its Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and Biological Opinion (BiOp) for the Snake and Columbia River salmon and steelhead. But this plan merely repeats the mistakes of the past and offers only timid interim measures, not real solutions. Rather than recommending restoring the lower Snake River by removing the four dams, their plan provides for only a modest amount of additional spill over the dams to help young salmon migrate to the ocean. But such a plan falls far short of the strong, comprehensive solutions we need to bring these species back from the brink. The five previous plans have been ruled by the courts to be inadequate and illegal; this one too is destined for the courts.
Unfortunately, this did not come as a surprise--the new plan made no changes from what was presented in the Draft Environmental Statement (DEIS). The final plan continues to embrace a modestly higher spill to help young salmon migrate to the ocean instead of a comprehensive solution.
During the previous comment period, Washington, Oregon, and many tribes, all noted that the spill agreement was beneficial as a short term strategy while stronger salmon recovery measures were developed – including potential removal of the four Lower Snake River dams (LSRD). But all parties, including the Sierra Club, agreed that it was not adequate as a long term recovery plan. It is important to note that the FEIS itself identifies dam removal as providing the most benefit for salmon recovery.
But beyond just stopgap solutions, Sierra Club and other fish advocacy groups have long supported restoring the lower Snake River as an essential action in a larger package of investments to restore our iconic Northwest species, honor our treaties with the Tribes, establish a clean, affordable, and reliable energy future, and make investments to assure we keep farm and fish communities strong and vibrant.
Over the last twenty-five years we have spent over $17 billion, yet none of the salmon and steelhead populations of the Snake and Columbia Rivers have been recovered. We can and must do better.
Restoring these once-legendary salmon and steelhead runs will benefit sport, commercial and tribal fishing economies and communities. We can make investments to assure clean, affordable, and reliable power, maintain vibrant farm communities, and honor our Treaties with the Tribes. But first, we must break from the cycle of failure that has plagued this issue for far too long. This ongoing failure creates risk and uncertainty for salmon, orca, Bonneville Power Administration, public utilities, and communities. It is time to chart a new path forward.
The good news is that key stakeholders in the Northwest are beginning to discuss strategies that can move us toward a comprehensive solution. The Governors of the four Northwest states are discussing how to advance a solutions process. There is growing recognition of the critical need for stronger actions and strategic investments. It is time for key leaders in the congressional delegation to also step forward to support and help advance this process.
It is notable that even in the Executive Summary of the FEIS, the federal agencies, urge support for this approach, “the co-lead agencies support the idea of a regional forum focused on rebuilding salmon and steelhead runs… [that will] work together on a shared vision for abundant salmon and steelhead and a clean, reliable, and affordable energy future for the Northwest.” (Page 16)
Leadership is needed to help expand and advance those discussions and bring people and stakeholders across the Northwest together around a comprehensive solution that:
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Restores abundant and harvestable salmon populations in the Columbia Basin,
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Invests in our regional economy and communities, including farming, fishing, recreation, port, and tribal businesses.
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Fulfills our federal treaty and trust responsibilities to Northwest Native American Tribes and honors their identity and cultural values.
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Ensures a reliable, affordable, and clean power system for the Northwest.
It is past time to break this cycle of failed and illegal plans from the federal agencies and forge a new path forward as a region. Now is the time for leadership to expand and advance regional dialogues and create a new way forward that works for all of us. Together, we can develop a strategic investment package that restores the lower Snake River and its endangered salmon and steelhead populations, expands our clean energy economy, and invests in critical transportation and other projects that will advance our economy and interest together.
Please encourage Governor Inslee, Senator Murray and Cantwell, and your local member of congress to move this critical process forward. Tell them you want their leadership to bring Northwest communities together to forge a new way forward that works for everyone.