Let’s take advantage of a fleeting opportunity

The recent election has emboldened many who believe in big dam thinking, continuance of fossil fuel and dirty energy source exploitation. Visible push back from some elected officials, some press and some editorials in dam country is emerging with a vengeance. That makes public pressure to breach the lower Snake River dams during the upcoming water work window between December 2016 and March 2017 more urgent, more difficult and more important than before. That’s why everyone who believes in restoring the river and allowing wild salmon to recover before they’re all gone must ramp up efforts to shine a light on this time-critical work. Please reach out to your family, your friends, and your broader network and help them understand what is at stake if these 4 dams are left in place for the next 5-10-20 years, while federal agencies continue a process that basically amounts to another do-over. And, ask them to do what you’ve been doing: contact the White House and elected officials. The EIS Scoping process on the federal hydrosystem that is currently garnering so much media attention, is not likely going to result in a breach decision. After a study that may cost $100 million or more and may take more than 10 years, the federal agencies will refuse to breach the dams. That decision will be challenged in court, and a federal judge most likely will throw out their salmon recovery plan, then allow several more years to develop another plan, followed by yet another future timeline. Even if successful this time, it will come too late for Snake River wild salmon and endangered orcas. This is why it is so important for the public to hammer elected officials with requests to support executive action and compel them to ACT while President Obama is still in office.