Dam Breach Study Pt 1
I'm Bob Larson. The state budget approved in the 11th hour of the recently adjourned legislative session includes $750,000 to study the impacts of removal of four dams on the Snake River in order to help with salmon recovery.
But, critics of the move say using state money to fund the study is wasteful because the dams are federal property where the state has no jurisdiction.
U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse agrees and says a study is already in the works...
NEWHOUSE ... "The state of Washington, like you said, that's federal properties. It would take an act of Congress to make any changes to the operation of the Snake and Columbia rivers system. And, on top of that, the federal government is already engaged in a new study on the operation of the river system."
Newhouse says he's been a vocal opponent of dam removal, but it's out of the state's hands ...
NEWHOUSE ... "It seems to me like the state is actually wasting money in an effort that's already being done by the federal government in an area where the state doesn't have jurisdiction. So, that was the feelings that myself and Cathy McMorris Rogers expressed in a letter recently, but the state went forward with the funding of the study. But, again, I think that the tax payer dollars could have been put to much better use."
Newhouse says the people of Eastern Washington whose livelihoods depend on these dams should not be collateral damage for Governor Inslee's presidential ambitions.
Listen tomorrow for more Newhouse reaction on funding of the dam breach study.
