Tell Gov. Inslee and Senators Cantwell and Murray to oppose Rye Developement’s proposed Goldendale Pumped Storage Development.
Rye Development wants to build the largest pumped-storage hydroelectric development in the Pacific Northwest.
The Yakama Nation has vehemently opposed this development because of the proposal’s devastating impacts to irreplaceable tribal cultural religious resources. Check out Columbia Riverkeeper’s webinar with two Kah-miltpa band members: Yakama Nation Tribal Councilman Jeremy Takala and Fisheries Biologist and Hydro-Coordinator at Yakama Nation Fisheries Elaine Harvey to learn more.
Re: Rye Development’s proposed Goldendale Energy Storage Hydroelectric Development (Klickitat County, Washington)
Dear Governor Inslee, Senator Murray, and Senator Cantwell,
I oppose Rye Development’s proposed Goldendale Energy Storage Hydroelectric Development (Development). I urge you to oppose this development as well because of the detrimental, unavoidable impacts that it will have on tribal cultural religious resources, as explicitly expressed by the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation (Yakama Nation) since 2017. Alleged “green energy” cannot be built on the backs of Tribal Nations, which are already on the front-lines of climate change and extractive industrialization and practices.
According to a cultural resources survey conducted by the Yakama Nation and included in Rye Development's License Application, the development would directly interfere with several culturally significant sites to the Yakama Nation and other cultural property. Bottom line, the survey concluded that this development cannot be built in this location without devastating impacts to cultural resources.
I urge you to: advance Washington state’s climate goals without undermining the rights of sovereign tribal nations and Indigenous people.
Sincerely,
The Yakama Nation has vehemently opposed this development because of the proposal’s devastating impacts to irreplaceable tribal cultural resources. Read Columbia Riverkeeper’s Q&A to learn more.
Stand in Solidarity with Tribal Nations: A pumped-storage hydroelectric development threatens irreplaceable tribal cultural resources, fish, and wildlife.
