IRU Members & Advocacy: Excerpts from IRU Member Public Comments

Over the past few months, there are have been two important Public Comment Periods for federal policies that impact Idaho’s rivers and wild fish (to learn more about public comment, click here).

We are proud of the many IRU members who submitted comments for these policies during the review process, and we are grateful that some chose to share their comments with us. Public comment is a powerful way to engage in advocacy, and your voice makes a difference. Thank you for using your voice for our rivers and wild fish!

Here are a few excerpts from public comments made by IRU members:

Columbia-Snake Hydrosystem Plan of Operations (CRSO) DEIS, 2020

“Over-population and development, fueled by an abundant supply of electricity, which prioritizes human’s greed over the needs of food sources derived from wild fish, is shortsighted. 

It has been described for years that the cost-benefit of the dams for producing electricity, and for the cost of keeping the dams for cargo transportation up to Lewiston is a decreasing or even a money-losing endeavor.

...The entire DEIS for the Columbia-Snake River Hydropower System fails to provide a long-term recovery strategy for Salmon and should be reconsidered again.”  - Ginna (and Ken) Lagergren, Hailey, Idaho

 “Stakeholders throughout the region desire and deserve more than the same old same old from the federal agencies. As you are aware the region is starting to see real leadership and will from it's politicians. It's time for the federal agencies of the CRSO to step up, do your jobs and provide the people in the region with a plan that restores it's wild iconic fish.”  - John Wells, Ketchum, Idaho

“The failure of this EIS to select a PA [preferred alternative] that restores salmon reveals that federal agencies can't solve this problem, and perhaps, never intended to. Shame on you for treating people who depend on salmon runs as second-class citizens. I urge you to reject the PA  and instead advocate implementing MO3 as soon as possible.  As an interim step awaiting full implementation of MO3, adopt and implement MO4 immediately.  This is the only path that can restore harvestable, sustainable fisheries for the Snake/Columbia basin and the NW. “ - Tom Stuart, Stanley/Boise, Idaho

Nez Perce - Clearwater DEIS/ Forest Management Plan, 2020

“I do not believe that combining eligibility studies and suitability studies in an overall forest planning document complies with the requirements of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act or the any National Forest Planning Acts or regulations.  The Wild and Scenic Rivers Act specifically lays out the requirements for eligibility and suitability, along with the requirement to make recommendations to Congress on the specifics of designating rivers and river segments found suitable.  I don't believe the suitability study in Appendix F of this document meets the requirements of the Act, and since it is strategically hidden in one of a long list of appendices, it seems to be a good way to shield the process from the public eye.” - LuVerne Grussing,  Juliaetta, ID