In Case You Missed It: Newhouse Hosts Rally in Support of Lower Snake River Dams
RICHLAND, WA – On Monday, August 1, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) brought together over 100 community members from the Tri-Cities in Howard Amon Park to show their support for the Lower Snake River Dams.
Rep. Newhouse, who has been a strong and vocal advocate for protecting these critical pieces of infrastructure, was joined by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Katie Nelson of Kamiak Vineyards, Lori Sanders of Benton PUD, and Todd Myers of the Washington Policy Center, who spoke to the impacts removing these dams would have on the clean energy, transportation, irrigation, recreation, agriculture, and navigational sectors in Central Washington—not to mention its economy.
“We have the science, we have the data and the dollars, we have the experts, and we have the community on our side in this debate,” said Rep. Newhouse. “We know that removing the Snake River dams would be harmful to our communities, the environment, and our economy. So today, we’re standing here to show that we will not let our communities be devastated, we will not let radicals dictate our way of life, and we will not let our dams be breached!”
“The Lower Snake River dams are the beating heart of our region. They are the leading source of clean, reliable, renewable, and affordable energy in Eastern Washington, and they’re the very reason we can keep our homes cooled this summer,” said Rep. Rodgers. “But that’s not stopping the Biden administration from trying to tear them out at a time when families are struggling to pay record high energy bills. It just doesn’t make any sense! We know better. We know the irreplaceable benefits the dams provide to our way of life, and last night we sent a clear message to President Biden: Our community will always fight to save our dams!”
“My family has farmed along the Snake River for over 40 years. If the lower four Snake River dams are breached, we will be unable to farm, and neither would the other farmers who care for over 90,000 acres of irrigated ag land which depend on those dams for sustainable water supplies,” said Katie Nelson. “So far, millions of dollars have been spent over the last 30 years to study snake river dam removal, and those studies have time and time again concluded that the negative economic impacts of dam removal outweigh the possible—not guaranteed, but possible—positive impact on fish runs. One thing is guaranteed: if those dams are removed, we cannot continue to farm. And it’s insulting that people like Governor Inslee and Senator Murray are in favor of upending our economy because there is a “chance” that it might improve fish runs.”
“Why would anyone want to remove these critical resources that provide 25% of the blackout insurance in our region?” asked Lori Sanders.
“Salmon are struggling across the Pacific Northwest, and we need to do more to improve their population. But the fixation on the Snake River dams is taking time and attention away from the serious threats salmon face across the region,” said Todd Myers. “Spending $33 billion – the equivalent of 330 years of state salmon funding – for marginal improvements on the Snake River is not only a waste of taxpayer dollars, but it is also environmentally irresponsible.”
###