Protect salmon, not obsolete snake river dams!

Bad salmon bill alert: H.R. 3144

The House of Representatives passed a bill, H.R. 3144, that would block actions necessary to protect Columbia and Snake river salmon. Several populations of salmon are nearing extinction. It is time to come together with a new vision for salmon recovery—not stick to the failed policies of the past. H.R. 3144 would lock in a 2014 management plan that violates the Endangered Species Act, according to a federal court. The bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration.

H.R. 3144 is a terrible bill for two reasons. First, the bill would effectively overturn a well-reasoned decision by a federal court which evaluated the facts and law of Columbia River salmon during a painstaking process. The case at issue, National Wildlife Federation v. National Marine Fisheries Service, is a long-running litigation over the government’s failure to protect salmon from the Columbia and Snake river dams. Columbia Riverkeeper is a party in the case. The court ordered that dam operators provide additional water (called “spill”) to flow over the dams to help juvenile salmon reach the ocean. H.R. 3144 would block the court’s order and reinstate an inadequate salmon management plan.

Second, the bill would prohibit studying the removal of the four lower Snake River dams. We should study all feasible options to recover salmon—removing the four lower Snake River dams must be on the table. Federal scientists and the people who rely on salmon must have the ability to evaluate all options to recover dwindling salmon populations.

We’re hopeful the Senate will respect science and the judicial process and reject this troubling bill. Please contact Senators Murray and Cantwell in Washington and Senators Wyden and Merkley in Oregon to support Columbia River salmon and reject H.R. 3144.