Governor’s report on Lower Snake dams is roadmap toward uniting around shared values

American Rivers statement

December 20, 2019
Contact: Amy Kober, 503-708-1145

Seattle — Washington Governor Jay Inslee today released a report detailing findings from the Lower Snake River Dams Stakeholder Process. The effort has engaged local, state, tribal and federal leaders and stakeholders around addressing issues associated with the possible breaching or removal of the lower Snake River dams in order to recover the Chinook salmon populations that serve as a vital food source for Southern Resident orcas.

Wendy McDermott, Director of the Columbia River and Puget Sound basins for American Rivers, made the following statement:

“This report and the governor’s stakeholder process remind us of our shared values — the desire for continued prosperity and growth, love of place, and respect for our neighbors up and downriver. 

We want a future with clean energy, thriving agriculture, and salmon runs that honor tribal treaty rights and support strong communities. These opportunities are all connected, and it’s time to come together around collaborative solutions that move everyone forward together.

Big, inspired thinking has always defined our region. The dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers were built with lofty goals for social and economic empowerment across the Pacific Northwest. It is this same sense of pride and determination that we must tap into now, as we write the next chapter for this place we call home.”