Pacific NW political retirement and defeats may break 20-year logjam on saving the salmon-
Rocky Barker points out that the election outcome may have removed the obstacles to the conservationists’ solution of the sorry condition of salmon runs into Idaho, but breaching the navigation dams on the lower Snake River in Washington is still far from certain.
Election sets the stage for regional forum on salmon and dams. By Rocky Barker. “Letters from the West.” Idaho Statesman.
Ralph Maughan
Dr. Ralph Maughan is professor emeritus of political science at Idaho State University with specialties in natural resource politics, public opinion, interest groups, political parties, voting and elections. Aside from academic publications, he is author or co-author of three hiking/backpacking guides, and he is past President of the Western Watersheds Project and the creator of The Wildlife News.
Some p[ols are just tooo content to watch fish in an aquarium, I guess. I’ve been thinking of those dams since ttraveling to Hells Canyon 40 years ago. They are huge mistakes, dear politicos. Huge mistakes. Let’s rip ’em down and do it now.