Restore the Snake River for Tribes, salmon, and communities --
take bold action for a sustainable legacy.
Take action now!
By Bill Arthur, Snake/Columbia River Salmon Campaign Chair
On Feb. 6, Representative Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) released a legislative framework that is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to restore the Snake River, bring abundant salmon and steelhead to our region, and strengthen Northwest communities.
The $33 billion proposal is an extraordinary opportunity to bring salmon and steelhead back to abundance, honor the commitments made with Northwest tribes, strengthen our fishing and farming communities, bring jobs and economic growth to the region, and improve the reliability and affordability of our power system.
A key recommendation outlined in this framework is to restore the Snake River by removing the four lower Snake River dams. This approach is the single best opportunity to restore salmon abundance in the lower 48 states. It will benefit the sport, commercial, and tribal fishing communities and economies and help our starving orca. It keeps faith with treaty rights for a number of the tribes whose culture, economy, and way of life rely on salmon.
This proposal would establish a Snake River National Recreation Area providing protection for the area and recreation benefit to communities. It would be the largest river restoration ever undertaken, restoring 140 miles of river.
The comprehensive proposal’s significant investments will create thousands of jobs and benefit our regional economy. These investments replace the energy and capacity from removing the lower Snake River dams, advance grid modernization, and create rail and modernize port and transportation systems to assure farmers continue to get grain to markets. The proposal envisions investments in clean water and watershed across the region including Puget Sound and the Washington Coast as well as the Snake and Columbia Basin.
This proposal can be the foundation for a comprehensive solution that works for everyone - but we need to build momentum behind it. It needs to be refined, some problems addressed, and engagement by the key leaders of our congressional delegation. If this comprehensive solution is to be successful, we need other members of Congress, elected officials, and other stakeholders to join Rep. Simpson to shape these groundbreaking investments for Northwest jobs, energy, agriculture, and salmon.
I think Representative Simpson captures the opportunity in front of us best:
"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 salmon.”
As Nez Perce Chairman Shannon Wheeler says, “There is potential for a lot of healing with this legislation."
Yakama Nation Chairman Delano Saluskin stated, “We have reached a tipping point where we must choose between our Treaty-protected salmon and federal dams, and we choose salmon”
This is a historic opportunity. Our delegation is at the apex of their political power, chairing many of the key committees that are involved in this process. We need to ask our Northwest congressional delegation to engage in this effort and help move it to a legislative package that provides the solution that has long been needed. We can end this long cycle of failed costly plans and create an abundant future for salmon, communities, tribes, and all of us.
Please take action now and also call our two Senators and your local member of congress (numbers below). Urge them to step forward and help move this conversation, solution process forward and develop legislation that will leave a legacy of salmon, steelhead, a restored Snake River and strong economy for the Northwest.
Senator Murray : 202-224-2621 (DC); 509-624-9515 (Spokane Off.); 206-553-5545 (Seattle Off.)
Senator Cantwell: 202-224-3441 (DC); 509-353-2507 (Spokane Off.); 206-220-6400 (Seattle Off.)
Switchboard Number for House Members: 202-225-3121