Politicians, farm groups, weigh in on salmon plans
Wire and Staff Reports
Grant County Journal
For once, the dominant sentiment was to save the dams rather than save the salmon.
The fourth of 15 federal hearings scheduled on the subject of salmon recovery was held in Pasco on Thursday was the first at which a majority of the audience clearly opposed breaching the four dams on the Snake River.
And in recent days, some political heavyweights – U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton, R-Wash. and Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber – have weighed in on opposites sides of the issue, as have some respected organizations, including the American Fisheries Society, the Washington Farm Bureau, and the Washington State Grange.
Though unable to attend the Pasco hearing, Gorton issued a statement Thursday saying that dam breaching would be devastating to the region” and vowed that no federal proposal to remove Snake or Columbia River dams “will see the light of day in Congress, at least not while this senator is representing you.”
But Kitzhaber told the Oregon chapter of the American Fisheries Society on Friday that he endorsed breaching Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose, and Lower Granite dams as part of a regional strategy for saving wild salmon from extinction.
Opponents say breaching the dams would close navigation locks and force barges to stop at Pasco, rather than 140 miles upriver in Lewiston, Idaho.
Farmers argued that could drive up their cost for transporting wheat and end irrigation on some 35,000 acres.
“I’m appalled that we live in a society today that values fish over human life,” one Basin City farmer said.
About 800 people attended the afternoon session in the Tri-Cities and several hundred more came to an evening session.
Abandoning rules that kept previous meetings civil, the nine federal agencies that hosted the hearing allowed clapping during testimony. That led at times to booing.
Some audience members snickered when Native Americans spoke of their treaty fishing rights and reverence for salmon.
“It seems the attitude here is much more intense than what I experienced in Clarkston (Wash.),” during a similar hearing last week, said Levi Holt, a member of the Nez Perce Tribe. “There’s much more animosity toward Indians and all that we stand for.”
Many speakers expressed their distrust of government. Others called on Congress to eliminate funding for any future studies of breaching. That’s unlikely since the government is under federal court order to study all options or saving endangered runs of salmon.
Pasco-area farmer Brenda Alford drew cheers when she announced that Northwesterners “will not allow the federal government and its drones to take away or even alter our way of life.”
Alford predicted civil disobedience and said the debate makes her especially thankful for the Second Amendment of the Constitution, which allows gun ownership.
“If you East Coast Yankees and others think that the South put up a fight, you ain’t seen nothing yet,” she told federal officials.
The Clinton administration has not taken a stand on breaching. But Grant County Commissioner LeRoy Allison testified that breaching is exactly the type of scheme he’d expect from a president who would commit adultery and then lie about it.
“It appears a vocal minority is driving public policy and that policy has caught the heart of the Clinton-Gore administration,” Allison said.
Gorton, in his statement, said his position against dam breaching is bolstered by evidence found in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ draft Lower Snake River Feasibility study.
“The Corps found that with existing dam conditions, the average survival rate through all four dams and reservoirs on the Snake River for juvenile salmon is over 80 percent, and for adult salmon is 88-94 percent,” said Gorton.
“Yet, in all the documents, I did not see any concrete, verifiable biological or scientific data which can prove that the removal of even one inch of these dams would restore salmon runs,” said the senator.
At the same time, said Gorton, the Corps’ study shows that dam breaching would cost the region $745 million annually in lost hydropower; lowered farm values, pump modification costs, and increased modifications to highway and rail to replace barging.
“On top of that, the government, through your tax dollars, would have to find an estimated $1 billion just to accomplish the job of removing the dams,” said Gorton.
He also questioned the Corps’ assertions that eastern Washington communities would receive any measurable economic or recreational benefits if the dams were breached, or that fish or humans would realize environmental benefits.
Also on Friday, Washington Farm Bureau president Steve Appel accused the National Marine Fisheries Service of “deliberately misleading people” about proposed rules and, the federal Endangered Species Act in a “mad rush to impose more water and land-use regulations on Washington residents….”
Appel claimed NMFS officials have repeatedly said the agency is under a court order to adopt rules to protect salmon by June 19.
“That is untrue,” said Appel. “There is no court order directing (rules adoption)…by June 19 or any other date.”
Instead, NMFS has negotiated an agreement to adopt rules for steelhead trout by June 19 to settle a lawsuit filed by four environmental groups, he said.
If NMFS misses its self-imposed deadline, the only consequence is that the civil lawsuit would proceed, said Appel, whose farm group represents 20,000 members.
In a recent opinion article submitted to area newspapers, NMFS Northwest Region administrator Will Stelle said the “All-H Paper” outlining alternatives for salmon recovery are presented to “stimulate public discussion” and do not represent the only combination of options.
The approach, said, Stelle, gives people “a greater voice in.. protecting, not just salmon, but the interests of people as well.”
It is, a change from past “boiler-plate regulations saying, ‘Don’t harm listed salmon,”‘ said Stelle.
But Appel said the agency “isn’t above intimidation to get its way,” contending that NMFS is threatening to impose more heavy-handed regulations if people don’t go along with “the path we have proposed in these rules.”
Earlier this month, Washington State Grange Master Terry Hunt said dam removal may result in billions of dollars of long-term costs when considering the effects on irrigated farming, lack of flood control, and increased power rates.
The money should instead be spent on bolstering hatchery programs, said Hunt, who contended that research shows dams “are not the primary reason for declines in our salmon runs.”
The state Grange is a non-profit organization representing the interests of rural Washington and its 40,000 members.
Another farm group, the Washington State Potato Commission, has also testified in opposition to dam removal.
In his comments Friday, Kitzhaber said his position endorsing dam removal was a lonely one politically, but necessary to fairly spread the economic burden of reversing the decline in wild salmon and steelhead.
“The salmon can’t wait,” Kitzhaber said. “The people can’t wait.”
The governor said the issue was not about sacrificing the economic benefits of the dams for environmental health, but working together as a region to have both.
Choosing not to breach the dams would require even more stringent reductions in salmon harvests, more restrictions on private property to improve habitat, and a reduction in existing water rights, the governor said.
Across the border in Idaho, a spokesman said Gov. Dirk Kempthorne maintains that breaching would not meet his criteria that any salmon recovery strategy be acceptable on biological, economic and political terms.
“Instead of embracing an option that’s guaranteed to drag out in court for a decade; with nothing to show but legal fees, we should start moving now on actions that can help salmon in the near term,” such as improved dam bypass systems and screens and reducing predation by Caspian terns, H.D. Palmer said.
Nor was Washington Gov. Gary Locke swayed.
“Gov. Locke indicated a year ago he could not imagine any argument leading him to support the Snake River dams coming down,” said spokesman Ed Penhale. “His position has not changed.”
Twelve populations of Columbia Basin salmon are on the endangered species list, including four from the Snake River.
Built about 30 years ago, Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Lower Granite and Little Goose dams produce 5 percent of the hydroelectric power sold by the Bonneille Power Administration and make it possible for barges to run between the Tri-Cities in Washington to Lewiston, Idaho – 300 miles inland from the Pacific.
Environmentalists, Indian tribes and fishermen who support breaching argue that it would restore 140 miles of spawning habitat for fall chinook and stop some of the accumulative destruction of juvenile fish from dams as they migrate to the ocean.
Farmers, barge operators and aluminum workers who oppose breaching argue that it will devastate the local economy by dropping reservoirs below the level of irrigation intakes, eliminate cheap transportation for grain, woodchips and other commodities, and reduce the supply of cheap electricity.
As the first major elected official to endorse breaching, Kitzhaber gave environmentalists a new weapon to take back to Washington, D.C., while lobbying for support, said Jeff Curtis, western conservation director for Trout Unlimited.
But Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore., said he doubted Congress would ever support breaching, despite the significance of Kitzhaber’s support.
“The logic that takes the first four out could take them all out,” said Smith. “It would render eastern Oregon, Washington and Idaho hostage to a grand experiment and delay efforts at salmon mitigation that can actually pass Congress.”
Don Sampson, executive director of the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, representing Yakama, Warms Springs, Umatilla and Nez Perce tribes, welcomed Kitzhaber as a new ally.
“We’d like to thank the governor for acknowledging the sacrifices made by our tribal people,” Sampson said. “His endorsement of dam removal is responsive to the law, responsive to the people of Oregon and responsive to salmon.”
Kitzhaber was speaking to a friendly audience. On Thursday, the Oregon chapter of the American Fisheries Society, a professional organization of fish biologists, unanimously endorsed a resolution saying dam breaching was necessary to restore Snake River salmon runs.
CBDL seeking support for bus trip to Seattle’s All-H hearing
The Columbia Basin Development League is arranging for a charter bus to transport interested individuals to the Federal Caucus All-H public hearing in Seattle on Feb.29.
The development league promotes second-half expansion of the Columbia Basin Irrigation Project, and supports farm-related activities and irrigation issues.
The league has publicly opposed breaching of Snake River dams as a preferred option in restoring wild salmon and steelhead runs.
League officials are seeking supporter to carry that message to federal officials and environmental groups.
Columbia Basin fish recovery plan
The National Marine Fisheries Service, the US Army Corps of Engineers and several other agencies-known as the Federal Caucus- are in the midst of a series of public hearings around the Northwest and Alaska on options for restoring 12 populations of Columbia Basin salmon that are on the endangered species list.
The most controversial factor being considered is breaching the earthen portion of four Snake River dams between Pasco and Lewiston,ID which would restore 140 miles of the Snake to free-flowing river, while eliminating about 5 percent of the hydroelectric power sold by the Bonneville Power Administration and cutting off barge service to Lewiston.
The recommendations of the Federal Caucus will be sent to Congress, which as the final say on breaching. Factors being examined include fish harvest and habitat, hydropower effects, and hatchery operations, the so-called “All-H” issues.
Environmental groups, Indian tribes and fishermen who support breaching hope it will help restore salmon and steelhead runs. Grain farmers, barge operators, aluminum smelters and others opposing breaching do not want to lose the cheap transportation and power produced by the dams.
One more public hearing will be held in Washington state. It is scheduled for Feb. 29 in Seattle. It will begin at noon in the Seattle Center Pavilion, 200 Thomas St.
More hearings are scheduled through March 8 in Montana and Alaska.
Summary information is available on the Federal Caucus website at www.bpa.gov/federalcaucus.
Grant County Journal
Ephrata, WA
February 21, 2000