Help Lewis River salmon come home, keep PacifiCorp accountable.
PacifiCorp promised Tribal Nations and the State of Washington that the dams would be modified so that threatened salmon could migrate to and from their spawning areas.
Dear National Marine Fisheries Service,
PacifiCorp must build fish passage facilities at dams in Washington’s Lewis River. The science is clear: Re-connecting salmon with existing, high-quality spawning habitat is the best way to recover the Lewis River’s ESA-listed spring Chinook salmon, coho salmon, steelhead, and bull trout.
Please use your authority under the Endangered Species Act and the Federal Power Act to require the construction of full fish passage in the Lewis River—just as PacifiCorp promised nearly 20 years ago.
PacifiCorp’s past behavior shows that the company may attempt to further delay and avoid its obligations to build fish passage in the Lewis River. I am counting on the National Marine Fisheries Service to hold PacifiCorp accountable and protect our public fisheries resources.
We can have salmon recovery in the Lewis River, if you make PacifiCorp keep its promises to tribes and the State of Washington.
Background:
PacifiCorp tried to renege on its promises and is behind schedule on building fish passage at the Lewis River dams. PacifiCorp’s foot-dragging has undermined salmon recovery efforts.
Stick up for salmon recovery, corporate accountability, and tribal rights. Tell the National Marine Fisheries Service (the federal agency responsible for salmon recovery) to make sure PacifiCorp lives up to its word. Add your name to the comment below, or edit it to add your personal concerns about PacifiCorp and Lewis River salmon.
The Lewis River basin is famous for salmon, stunning waterfalls, big trees, blurry bigfoot sightings, and hydroelectric power. On its way to the mighty Columbia, the Lewis River flows through three large reservoirs: Yale, Swift, and Merlin. These reservoirs provide electricity and recreational opportunities. But the dams also stop Lewis River salmon and steelhead from reaching their native spawning streams.
