Act now to stop the 'Salmon Extinction Act'

Written By Staff

A small group of lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives, including Idaho’s Rep. Raul Labrador, is pushing anti-salmon legislation to roll back protections and overturn court decisions favorable for salmon. 

If it becomes law, this bill will:

  • Lock in an expensive, illegal, inadequate salmon plan that protects the status quo and pushes salmon closer to extinction.
  • Reduce spill, a critical near-term action to protect young salmon migrating through federal dams and reservoirs.
  • Prevent the study of lower Snake River dam removal and other actions necessary to restore wild salmon, protect communities and honor treaties with Native American tribes.

Idaho’s salmon and steelhead are returning at historically low numbers. Fishermen, fishing families and their communities are feeling the pinch, and this bill would make their dire situation even worse. For this reason and more, we’re calling the bill the “Sock it to Idaho Act," or "Salmon Extinction Act."

This ill-advised legislation was passed out of committee last week, and the House of Representatives is expected to vote on it next week. Idaho’s salmon need more help today, not less. Salmon need healthier rivers and safer passage past dams, not new barriers to survival and recovery.

Act now. Ask your representatives to stop HR 3144 and protect wild salmon and steelhead from extinction. Your most important points are to say: 1) Idaho's salmon matter to you (and why), and 2) H.R. 3144 is bad for Idaho's salmon, communities, and economy. 

Rep. Mike Simpson
Link to website comment form
(202) 225-5531

Rep. Raul Labrador
Link to website comment form
(202) 225-6611

Also, and importantly, please consider packaging your thoughts as a letter to the editor. The more this issue is in front of our friends and neighbors the more our elected leaders will have to stand up for salmon instead of bad policy that undermines the balance of power in our government. Links to some of Idaho's newspaper's are below.

Staff
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