Dam Nation

Fisheries Service releases yet another Northwest salmon recovery plan

Posted at 4:12 PM on 01 Nov 2007

The third draft of a federal plan for protecting endangered salmon and steelhead in the Northwest's Columbia and Snake Rivers does not propose breaching the four hydroelectric dams that block the waterways, frustrating activists who have long lobbied for the dams' removal. The National Marine Fisheries Service says the plan for helping the salmon is significantly improved over the previous version, which was found to violate the Endangered Species Act, but environmental groups aren't so sure. "It's the same pig in a different tutu, but it still can't dance," says Todd True of green group Earthjustice. The salmon recovery plan will go through a comment process and require a judge's approval. Dilly-dallying isn't recommended: Northwest wild salmon populations are at 5 percent of historic levels.

sources: The Oregonian, Idaho Statesman, The New York Times, Associated Press
see also, in Grist: David James Duncan rows through a wheat field to save salmon

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Comments: (2 comments)

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Defective Laws

The Endangered Species Act is defective in that it has loopholes, and this is clearly one of them. Unfortunately, NOAA Fisheries can infinitely continue to propose ineffective plans like the ones that have already been rejected. It looks like this population of salmon is history. We need a greatly strengthened ESA so that these types of shenanigans don't continue (another serious one is allowing Fish & Wildlife Service or NOAA Fisheries to state that a species is in need of protection, yet not add it to the ESA list because the agency is too busy or doesn't have enough money; this is called "warranted but precluded").

by Wolverine at 5:33 PM on 01 Nov 2007

Plan doesn't sufficiently consider global warming

There are a number of glaring shortcomings to the administration's latest plan.

But one really stands out -- the plan fails to take the likely regional effects of global warming into account. It assumes that the period between 1980 and 2001, which generally featured below average ocean and river runoff conditions, is a reasonable surrogate for what the effects of climate change are likely to be.

No basis is provided for this conclusion. Given what the UW's Climate Impacts Group and others have been saying, the future climate will likely be warmer (and "worse" for salmon) than late 20th century conditions.

So, stronger salmon recovery measures, like removing the four dams on the lower Snake River, deserve serious consideration.

Studies show the dams' limited power can be affordably replaced with conservation and renewables. We should make sure that if these four dams are removed, it is done in a climate-neutral way.

To call on our leaders to come up with a stronger plan that works for salmon and communities, visit www.giveadamforsalmon.org

by amyk at 1:39 PM on 02 Nov 2007

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