Columbia Riverkeeper’s community organizer, Kate Murphy, reflects on how people are speaking up for the Pacific Northwest’s iconic salmon and orcas.
Continuing the Fight for Salmon and Orcas
The COVID-19 pandemic did not stop the Bonneville Power Administration and other federal agencies from moving forward with public hearings on a plan that could decide the future of salmon and orcas in the Pacific Northwest. On March 31, I participated in the last of six teleconferences about the so-called Federal Columbia River Power System draft environmental impact statement. Despite everything people are dealing with during this global health crisis, I was not alone in speaking up for salmon, orcas, and the communities that depend on them. In fact, so many people participated that the hearing lasted a full five hours! Over three-quarters of the roughly 100 people who had the opportunity to comment spoke up in favor of saving salmon and orcas.
Combating climate change is not simply about shutting down coal plants and turning down the global temperature, it is about preserving ecosystems, food systems, and biodiversity. It is the salmon dependent communities of fishing towns, particularly those on Native American reservations, that will suffer first and most if we do not put our values in the right order and take action to restore the Lower Snake River.
I am humbled by the commitment of so many people working to protect what they love for future generations. Thank you all. Take action to protect salmon and orcas.
The science is clear. Removing the four Lower Snake River dams is the single best action that can be taken to help recover endangered salmon and Southern Resident orcas. Restoring the Lower Snake River by returning it to its free-flowing state is critical to bring back million-strong salmon runs, benefiting sport, commercial, and tribal fishing communities and help starving Southern Resident orcas.
The situation is dire: Snake River salmon and Southern Resident orcas are close to extinction. But there’s still time to restore the Snake and Columbia rivers’ once-mighty salmon runs. As a region, we must unite around solutions to remove the four Lower Snake River dams and re-invest in regional transportation, irrigation, and energy infrastructure. Working together, we can have a future that includes salmon, agriculture, and clean energy.
