More watermelon activity in the Great(?) Northwest! So the usual suspects, now led by our own federal government, has decided that it would be just marvelous to destroy four Lower Snake River dams so that a bunch of rent-seeking Indian tribes can fish for more salmon. Maybe. If the salmon population increases. Which might not happen.
But damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead! Destroy a significant chunk of clean energy generation, destroy low-cost transportation (60% of Washington wheat is barged), lose low-cost irrigation, end recreation on the reservoirs (1.7 million visitors in 2018!), all in service to a group of idiot environmental activists, Indian tribes looking for handouts, and most important, an evil cabal in D.C. and elsewhere who want to destroy our power production by any means necessary.
Chairs Rodgers and Duncan Announce Hearing on Protecting the Snake River Dams
“The Columbia River System and the Lower Snake River Dams are the beating heart of the Pacific Northwest, yet that hasn’t stopped the Biden administration from apparently colluding with special interest groups to lay the groundwork to remove them. We are deeply disturbed by the blatant disregard for the enormous hydropower, irrigation, and navigation benefits these dams provide, as well as a willingness to ignore the voices of those who depend on the dams the most. It’s past time for full transparency from the Biden administration. This hearing will provide an opportunity to expose how its plans will destroy people’s lives in Eastern Washington.”
Failure theater? Possibly, because at this point, anything the Republicans in Congress do should be suspect. But that is one hell of a stern letter, so we should all hope for the best!
Here is a sober analysis of the issue, and it pokes holes…lots of salmon-sized holes, in pretty much every argument in favor of destroying these dams (read the whole thing…it’s good).
There is no replacing the Lower Snake River dams
The clean energy, efficient navigation, recreation and irrigation made possible by the dams are irreplaceable benefits. Amid calls for breaching the four lower Snake River dams, a recent review by Gov. Jay Inslee and U.S. Sen. Patty Murray found it would cost up to $31 billion to replace the various economic benefits they provide. The report underscores the value of the dams and demonstrates why it’s really not possible to replace their benefits.
Two years ago, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a study that rejected the idea of breaching the Snake River dams as a way to improve salmon survival. The comprehensive, four-year, multimillion dollar analysis — called the Columbia River System Operations Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) — specifically considered and rejected dam breaching, recommending water management strategies instead to improve salmon survival.
And here is a press release from some smug, ccksuking environmental group. You know what it says already, but if you enjoy reading arrant bullsht…
Ah…honoring our promises? How about starting with the oaths that our scheming politicians have taken to uphold the Constitution. Once they demonstrate that they can honor that pledge, we can move on to honoring our promises to Indian tribes, because the fate of a few hundred thousand salmon on the Snake river is pretty damned trivial in the grand scheme of things. California destroyed the Central Valley to save a bait fish…is Washington trying to compete for the title of stupidest state? Or is it simply an environmental Cloward-Piven strategy?
