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THE ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, APRIL 8, 2021
OPINION
editor@dailyastorian.com
KARI BORGEN
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Editor
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Production Manager
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Systems Manager
OUR VIEW
Blessed are the peacemakers
I
WASH.
26
Area in
detail
WHITMAN
127
Little Goose Dam
261
260
ke Riv
er
Lower Granite Dam
Ice Harbor
Dam
na
395 FRANKLIN
S
Pomeroy
Tu c
annon
12
Lower Monumental Dam
GARFIELD
R.
12
WALLA WALLA
Dayton
124
.
b ia R
Touchet
Ri
ve
Pasco
lum
n crafting his plan for the
removal of the dams on the
lower Snake River, U.S. Rep.
Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, has man-
aged to forge consensus between
farm, shipping and environmental
interests on his idea. They all hate
it.
Blessed are the peacemakers.
They may be children of God, but
often fi nd surprisingly little support
at home.
Simpson did not propose actual
legislation, but in February released
a $33.5 billion concept for salmon
recovery, which includes removing
the Lower Granite, Little Goose,
Lower Monumental and Ice Harbor
dams in 2030 and 2031.
It is a bold plan, a potential
grand compromise that seeks to
address the competing needs of
those who want the dams removed
and those who depend on the sta-
tus quo for their livelihoods, elec-
trical energy, transportation and
irrigation.
In short, Simpson’s plan would:
• Require that the electrical
power generated by the dams be
replaced, and that the new infra-
structure would be operational
before the dams are breached.
• Provide money for river resto-
ration, the development of trans-
portation infrastructure to replace
barge traffi c, economic develop-
ment for communities impacted by
the breaching, watershed projects
and irrigation infrastructure.
• Require that all other dams in
the Columbia Basin that generate
more than 5 megawatts of electric-
ity be granted an automatic 35-year
license extension.
• Prohibit for 35 years any liti-
gation related to anadromous fi sh
within the Columbia River system
under the Endangered Species Act,
National Environmental Policy Act
or the Clean Water Act, and stay
any ongoing litigation.
COLUMBIA
r
125
Walla Walla
12
College Place
730 Wash.
Co
Ore.
11
10 miles
Wash.
Ore.
Capital Press graphic
As we said, an ambitious com-
promise, but one that none of the
major stakeholders will accept.
Despite promises that their con-
cerns will be addressed, farmers
and ranchers worry about whether
they will get the water they need,
or will be able to ship product.
Electric utilities worry they won’t
have a reliable source of power and
barge interests worry about their
jobs disappearing.
Environmental interests love the
idea of breaching the dams, but
leaving the others unchallenged
for 35 years is crazy talk. And fi l-
ing lawsuits is their raison d’etre.
Outlawing salmon-related lawsuits
beyond the middle of the century
would allow for all kinds of politi-
cal chicanery, particularly the next
time an anti-environment presi-
dent is maneuvered into the White
House.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
The Ice Harbor Dam on the lower Snake
River holds back Lake Sacajawea, the
source of irrigation water for 47,000 acres
of farmland.
A group of 17 environmental
organizations says Simpson’s plan
would speed up salmon extinction
and harm human health, calling it
“untenable.”
In releasing the plan, Simp-
son said he didn’t draft legislation
because an ambitious concept such
as he proposed needs to involve
all the stakeholders and the states
impacted.
We don’t think the plan as pro-
posed ever had a chance, but Simp-
son should be given credit for start-
ing a conversation. Does anyone
want to talk? Are his ideas a start-
ing point that might develop into a
more acceptable set of trade-off s?
We know what everyone doesn’t
want and what they won’t accept,
but what do they want and what
will they accept?
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Vaccine success
y wife and I recently
received our second Mod-
erna vaccine, which has given
us great relief and really marks
an important event in our lives
and lifetime. We are grateful
for all the hard work at the fed-
eral, state and county levels that
made this possible.
Recent news heralded a
record in daily vaccines, hav-
ing reached a 4 million total
in a single day, which is truly
remarkable, considering the
complexity involved in produc-
ing vaccines, organizing clin-
ics and enrolling people for
receiving their shots. Kudos to
all who are helping to make this
happen.
Nearly all of the population
in the U.S. has been vaccinated
against many diff erent diseases
over our lifetimes. Polio, diph-
theria , measles, mumps, teta-
nus, smallpox and tuberculosis
are some that come to mind that
have helped us stay alive and
healthy.
I urge everyone to get behind
the COVID-19 vaccine program
and get the shot in the arm that
will protect everyone from this
nasty virus that has killed more
than half a million people in our
country.
Please join in the battle to
defeat this common enemy that
is attacking people all over the
world. The vaccines are safe
and eff ective in protecting us
from getting seriously ill or
dying. Let’s work together to rid
ourselves of the virus and get us
back to a world without masks
and social distancing. Can’t
wait to hug my grandkids !
NED HEAVENRICH
Brownsmead
M
Friendly and effi cient
e got our fi rst vaccines at
the Clatsop County Fair-
grounds on April 1. The site was
very well arranged, with every-
thing running smoothly and
quickly.
Our thanks to everyone who
made this possible, especially
the many volunteers. Everyone
we dealt with was very friendly
and effi cient.
MICHAEL TARACHOW
MERCE DOSTALE
Hammond
W
Voter suppression
’m just an old man, but I see
that our president of these
United States called the Geor-
gia voting bill “sick” and “Jim
Crow on steroids.”
Let me be as kind as I can
here: He lied. His own home
state has harsher laws. Still, and
once again, media and corpo-
rations blindly jumped to obey.
Did they actually read the law?
Unlikely.
The real reason he brought
the weight of the executive
branch down on Georgia is
political power. The Georgia law
requires voter ID. Not allowing
illegals to vote is against Biden’s
law. For contrast, try getting on
a plane without enhanced ID.
If the words coming out of
our president’s mouth were
the truth, I suspect it would be
something like: “Come one,
come all. Vote early, vote often,
vote for me. I will give you
things. I will punish those who
would follow the racist ID vot-
ing laws.”
ROBERT LIDDYCOAT
Seaside
I
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