Letters
A recent letter to the editor from the IBEW electrical union backs preserving Snake River dams and referenced “efforts of anti-hydropower groups.” I imagine this can be a misrepresentation of teams that in actuality are in search of essentially the most equitable vitality future. In some circumstances hydro is the higher choice, however the place dams severely disrupt fairness and ecology different renewable vitality sources could also be a better option. The decrease Snake River dams, producing about 4 percentof the Northwest’s energy, have introduced native salmon runs that when have been half of all salmon coming into the Columbia River to the verge of extinction. This unequitable state of affairs has affected fisheries all through the Northwest and as soon as once more fails to honor treaties with our tribal neighbors. Treaties that since their 1855 inception Tribes have continually wanted to stress our adherence.
The letter additional states Washington’s electrical energy demand could double by 2050. If this turns into the case and the Snake River dams have been changed, as an alternative of accelerating energy technology by one hundred pc, it might want to extend by 104 p.c. Northwest Energy Coalition, a non-profit with experience and mission to advance clear vitality planning for our area concludes in its evaluation “Smart Planning Will Drive Replacing the Power from the Lower Snake River Dams” that this 4 p.c might be economically and equitably changed.
Demanding that the “status quo” on the decrease Snake River dams is the one believable choice disregards present efforts growing options that handle all communities, disregards our Tribal neighbors, and provides up on salmon. We can do a lot, significantly better.
Lianne Shea
Marysville
