Dam Meetings Pt 1
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. The Biden Administration recently released a memorandum outlining its plan for protecting salmon in the Columbia Basin, including removal of the Lower Snake River dams.
U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse says it’s disappointing, but no real surprise …
NEWHOUSE … “Well, we’ve suspected all along, I have certainly, that the administrations direction in all of this has been towards breaching the dams and I think that that’s now becoming more clear.”
More clear, Newhouse says, through the wording of the memorandum …
NEWHOUSE … “It gave mention of the benefits of the dams, but certainly was focused much more on their efforts towards all of the, if you can read between the lines, all of their efforts towards a free-flowing river system.”
The process, Newhouse says has, unfortunately, not included those who stand to lose the most …
NEWHOUSE … “I guess you could say my criticism has been that this has not been a transparent process. What we’ve seen of the last few months is mediation going on behind closed doors largely with a group of pro-breaching advocates.”
Newhouse says we have to have input on this process and so far, we have not had that.
Tune in tomorrow for more on the administration’s apparent support for the removal of dams on the Lower Snake River.
