A Dam Sham

Bush Officials Stand Atop Dam to Trumpet Salmon Funding

Bush administration officials announced a $10 million increase in funding for restoration of endangered Northwest salmon on Monday, drawing election-year attention to recent increases in salmon numbers. Enviros expressed measured support for the rise in funding, but pointed out that higher salmon numbers were mostly attributable to changing ocean conditions. They also pointed out that $10 million is a fraction of the $110 million funding increase the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission says is needed to pay for ongoing restoration projects. They also pointed out that a federal blueprint for Columbia Basin salmon recovery was rejected by a U.S. district judge last year as insufficient to meet the requirements of the Endangered Species Act. They also pointed out that the announcement was made from atop the Bonneville Dam, which kills lots of salmon. They also pointed out ... well, you get the idea.