‘Snake River Salmon Initiative’ Public Survey Opportunity
Little Goose Dam on the lower Snake River, located in southeastern Washington. © Idaho Rivers United
In 2022, the Northwest’s elected leaders will decide if wild salmon and steelhead have a viable future in Idaho. The region is in need of a comprehensive solution that breaches the Lower Snake River dams, while investing in infrastructure, clean energy, communities, and clean water.
Senator Patty Murray and Governor Jay Inslee, both of Washington, announced a joint federal-state process to establish a solution for Columbia Basin salmon last fall. Part of their work includes a study on what it would take to replace the services provided by the Lower Snake River dams.
Before a draft of the study is released in mid-May, Murray and Inslee have released a survey that is open to the public. The nine-part questionnaire is an important opportunity for salmon advocates to provide input on dam removal and salmon recovery, as well as how the dam’s services can be replaced.
The survey is anonymous and every question does not have to be filled out. Provide comments on the categories that interest you - check out IRU’s info sheet.
Salmon recovery
Irrigated agriculture
Navigation and transportation
Energy
Tourism and recreation
Community well-being
Economic prosperity
The best opportunities to communicate the key messages surrounding salmon recovery (tribal justice, the huge economic potential tied to a restored river and recovered salmon runs, the ecological importance of salmon, ensuring a bright future for the region, investing in clean energy and infrastructure) are in Question 2 - What is your primary interest regarding the Lower Snake River dams?, and Question 9 - Other issues.
Resources:
Lower Snake River Dam survey link and Murray/Inslee process website: lsrdoptions.org
For detailed question-by-question sample messages, visit this link from Save Our Wild Salmon.
