Idaho congressman unveils plan to breach 4 Lower Snake dams, save salmon

SEATTLE (AP) — A Republican congressman is proposing removing four hydroelectric dams in the Northwest as part of a sweeping plan to address the decades-long problem of how to save salmon populations without upending a system that provides power to millions of people.

The $33.5 billion proposal from Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho was announced Saturday. It would breach four dams on the Lower Snake River by the end of the next decade.

It would also pay for finding ways to replace the dams’ key roles in energy, agriculture and transportation.

It's being met with cautious optimism among some on both sides of the issue, but there's still plenty of skepticism.

The idea is unusual for a Republican and marks the first time a sitting senior elected official has ever asked the region to consider breaching dams that are still functioning, the Seattle Times reported.

Key to Simpson’s plan would be asking for some $33 billion in a jobs-and-infrastructure stimulus package expected from the Biden administration this year. As Democrats take power in the nation’s capital, the congressional delegations from Democratic-leaning Northwest states such as Washington and Oregon will have greater clout.

Read more at: https://apnews.com/article/environment-dams-mike-simpson-salmon-idaho-9b95489f6342a238e68dbb945341e207