You Need Hyrdopower and Hydropower Needs You – Write In Today

Image of a young Caucasian woman plugging together two power cords with a river flowing behind. The image is zoomed in on her hands. It symbolizes how water and hydropower powers our lives.

May 1, 2022

Hydropower and many other benefits of the lower Snake River Dams are under attack. This year the voices of proponents of dam breaching are being heard by state and federal politicians. Our representatives need to hear your voice, too.

Deadline Approaching to Speak Up for Hydropower

A public process to determine whether there are reasonable means for replacing the benefits of the lower Snake River Dams is underway in Washington. The draft report is scheduled to be released mid-May.

This joint federal-state process, led by Gov. Jay Inslee and Sen. Patty Murray, is called, the Inslee-Murray Process. It will conclude July 31. There is concern that the goal of this process is to justify dam breaching.

Simultaneously, the White House released a blog stating its support for dam breaching.

“We heard calls to support breaching the four dams on the lower Snake River to restore a more natural flow, also about the need to replace the services provided by those dams, and recognition that such a step would require congressional action. This approach has been supported by Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson of Idaho and is being evaluated by Washington Senator Patty Murray in collaboration with Washington Governor Jay Inslee…we cannot continue business as usual.”

– THE WHITE HOUSE BLOG, March 28, 2022

The Inslee-Murray Process will focus on the many benefits of the four Lower Snake River dams. These include:

Navigation and transportation.
Agriculture and irrigation.
Energy.
Tourism and recreation.
Community resilience and economic health.
Salmon recovery and habitat restoration.

A consulting team is gathering comments from citizens who would be impacted by the loss of these benefits. Benton REA will submit comments to the process.

The co-op urges all members who care about salmon as well as low-cost, reliable and carbon-free electricity to write in with comments expressing why they support keeping the lower Snake River dams.