Breaching Dams Pt 1
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. NOAA Fisheries’ final report on the breaching of four lower Snake River dams came out recently and maintains breaching as the best way to restore salmon and steelhead populations.That news raises some big concerns for Northwest River Partners Executive Director, Kurt Miller …
MILLER … “This report from NOAA Fisheries, that’s definitely something we’re concerned about because it really represents a huge break from the science the NOAA Fisheries has put forward for years, for decades.”
The lack of science, Miller says is one thing, but how they went about choosing the focus in the original report was another …
MILLER … “They actually collaborated on the report, on the draft report that first called for dam breaching earlier this summer, they collaborated with two of the lead litigants in litigation over the hydropower system, you know, that’s been going on for years.”
And, Miller says, who they collaborated with was pretty interesting as well …
MILLER … “They collaborated with the State of Oregon, which is the plaintiff, and then they also collaborated with the Nez Perce tribe. And so, it is highly unusual, candidly, for NOAA Fisheries to put out a report kind of in conjunction with the plaintiff.”
Tune in tomorrow for more on Miller’s disappointment in NOAA Fisheries’ final dam breaching report and what he calls the bias contained within.