Inslee Opposes Legislation That Would Save Snake River Dams

Washington’s Governor has comes out in opposition to a bill in Congress that would reduce spill over Columbia and Snake river dams, and prevent the breaching of four Snake River dams.  Jay Inslee said in a letter to House leaders, the legislation would harm ongoing efforts to improve salmon and dam management.  Inslee is urging lawmakers to oppose the bill.  Inslee said the four dams are to blame for a drop in the production of wild salmon and steelhead runs in the Columbia and Snake river system.

Introduced last summer, the bill would keep in place the Federal Columbia River Biological Opinion until 2022.  The opinion is designed to protect salmon while continuing to operate the dams.  However, a Portland-area federal judge has ruled that the biological opinion doesn’t do enough.

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