Congressman Mike Simpson has put together a bold plan to help salmon recovery in Idaho, his $33.5 billion plan focuses on breaching four dams on the lower Snake River to help salmon and steelhead recovery.
STAKEHOLDERS ARERESPONDING TOCONGRESSMAN MIKESIMPSON'SPROPOSAL TOBREACH FOUR DAMSON THE LOWERSNAKE RIVER IN ANEFFORT TO HELPSALMON RECOVERY.OUTDOORREPORTER STEVEDENT CAUGHT UPWITH IDAHO RIVERSUNITED WHOPRAISED THEPROPOSAL BUT ALSOIDAHO FARMERSWHO SPOKE OUTAGAINST REMOVINGTHE DAMS.CONGRESSMAN MIKESIMPSON'S 33.5BILLION DOLLARPROPOSAL TOREMOVE FOUR DAMSON THE SNAKE RIVERGIVES PEOPLE WHOHAVE BEEN FIGHTINGFOR SALMON ANDSTEELHEAD MOREHOPE THAN THEY'VEHAD IN A LONG TIME."IN THE 30 YEARSTHAT IDAHO RIVERSUNITED HASWORKED ON THISISSUE IT IS EASILYTHE MOSTIMPORTANT ANDBOLDEST STEP THATHAS EVER BEENTAKEN."SO FAR IDAHORIVERS UNITED.OTHERCONSERVATIONGROUPS.
NATIVEAMERICAN TRIBES.GUIDES.OUTFITTERSANGLERS ANDOTHER SIMILARGROUPS HAVE ALLCOME OUT INSUPPORT OFSIMPSON'SPROPOSAL."IT REALLYSHOWCASESCULTURALLY ANDWHAT SALMON MEANECONOMICALLY TOTHE VIABILITY OFTHE STATE AND THISREGION THEY JUSTDON'T EXIST HERETHEY ARE PART OFTHE LEGACY OFIDAHO."BUT ON THEOPPOSITE SIDE THEPACIFIC NORTHWESTWATERWAYSASSOCIATION.
THEPORT OF LEWISTONAND FARMERSTHROUGHOUT THEREGION HAVE THEIRDOUBTS."WE SHIP ABOUTTWO MILLIONBUSHELS OF WHEATTO PORTLAND EVERYYEAR SO THIS ISVERY CONCERNING."RICHARD DURRANTRUNS A FARM INKUNA HE'S ONE OFMANY FARMERS WHOSENDS HIS PRODUCTDOWN THE RIVER ONBARGES."IT PROVIDES ANEEDEDINFRASTRUCTURETHAT IN MY MINDCAN'T BE REPLACEDYOU GET ONE BARGETHAT IS EQUAL TO120 SEMI LOADS OFWHEAT."IT WOULD TAKE35,000 RAIL CARS OR135,000 SEMIS TOCARRY ALL THECARGO BARGESCURRENTLY TAKEDOWN THE RIVERTHAT'S ACCORDINGTO THE PACIFICNORTHWESTWATERWAYSASSOCIATION.FARMERS ALSOWORRY ABOUT THECOST AND WHILECONGRESSMANSIMPSON PLANINCLUDES 1.5 BILLIONDOLLARSSPECIFICALLY FORGRAINTRANSPORTATION INHIS PROPOSALFARMERS WORRYABOUT THE LONG-TERM FUTURE."I'VE GOT MYCHILDREN ANDGRANDCHILDRENINVOLVED IN THEOPERATION I'MLOOKING HOWTRULY ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF IDAHOAGRICULTURE."CONGRESSMANSIMPSON POSTED ANOP-ED ON THURSDAYTITLED AGRICULTUREMATTERS SIMPSONPOINTED TO HISEFFORT TO ASSESSTHE VALUE OF THEDAMS AND MAKEEVERYBODY WHOLEIF THEY WEREREMOVED."I WANT THEM TOLOOK AT THE WHOLEPACKAGE AND IFTHERE ARE ISSUESIN THERE OR THINGSWE CAN DO BETTER IWANT THEM TOCONTACT US ANDLET US KNOW BUT IFYOU ARE GOING TOSAVE SALMON WELOOKED AT THIS ANDSAID IS THERE A WAYWE COULD KEEP THEDAMS AND STILLSAVE SALMON WECOULDN'T FIND ANALTERNATIVE TOALLOW US TO DOTHAT."STEVE DENT IDAHONEWS SIX.
Over the past three years, Simpson has conducted more than 300 meetings with different stakeholders and the Republican Congressman..
Rep. Mike Simpson's Plan to Save Salmon Includes Removing Dams