The recent proposal by Rep. Mike Simpson (ID) to breach the four Lower Snake River dams has a major flaw: it will suspend the nation’s bedrock environmental laws for 35-50 years across large portions of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho (see page 9).  NWEA joined with 16 other national and local organizations to defend these laws—the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and licensing by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)—as they apply to the Columbia River basin.  Given Rep. Simpson’s long-time hostility to these laws, it’s no surprise that he is now using the removal of the Lower Snake Rivers as a means of achieving that goal.

While supporting the removal of the Snake River dams, the Coalition opposes this bid to sacrifice the wild fish, other species, and public health protections to obtain this end.  As we told Northwest Senators in a letter, “Moreover, this deal would set a terrible and dangerous precedent for the rest of the nation, creating a model wherein environmental progress can only occur by sacrificing human health and environmental protections elsewhere.”  A briefing paper details the adverse impacts of Rep. Simpson’s bid to rid the Northwest of national environmental laws.