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Dam Breaching is Bad for Idaho by Rep. Scott Bedke Idaho State Journal, July 8, 2022

Gov. Inslee and Sen. Murray either failed to work with key stakeholders
or ignored their opinion on this project.

What makes Idaho the state we are proud to call home? To me, it's our shared goal of making Idaho the best place to live, to work, and to raise a family. That's why I'm always troubled by renewed attempts to breach dams that Idahoans rely on.

The latest push comes from Washington state, where Gov. Jay Inslee (D) and U.S. Sen. Patty Murray (D) are calling to remove four dams on the Snake River. Together, Gov. Inslee and Sen. Murray published a new report that tries to justify a $27.2 BILLION plan to breach the Snake River dams to restore salmon and steelhead populations. However, as is often the case with Washington state politics, the pros do not outweigh the cons.

For starters, let's head to our shared border in the Quad Cities region, which is home to Moscow, Pullman, Lewiston and Clarkston. The Palouse is well known for its wheat, accounting for an estimated 50 percent of Idaho's total wheat yield. That wheat is eventually transported to the Port of Lewiston, home to Idaho's only seaport, which moves 10 percent of all wheat grown in the United States. Farmers and ranchers in our region heavily rely on the Port of Lewiston, as well as the Port of Clarkston, for cost-efficient distribution, which would cease to be a reality with the removal of the four Snake River dams.

As a fourth-generation Idaho rancher, I know the challenges and necessary measures needed to run a successful business in this day and age. Additionally, a major priority in my public and private careers has revolved around protecting Idaho's water. It's clear to me that Gov. Inslee and Sen. Murray either failed to work with key stakeholders or ignored their opinion on this project. Stakeholders who would most certainly bear the brunt of devastating impacts; including, but not limited to, the following possibilities:

• 48,000 acres of farmland across the Northwest would lose dam irrigation

• Utilities could skyrocket in cost due to the loss of hydroelectricity

• The power grid would become unstable, likely doubling the chance of blackouts

• Food costs would rise from the increase in trucking costs

• The supply chain would worsen due to the severe shortage of skilled truck drivers

Here in Idaho, we believe in kitchen table economics. It's simple, but more importantly, it makes sense. While salmon restoration is a noble cause, the Inslee/Murray plan of $27.2 billion doesn't add up. Under the Inslee/Murray plan, one of Idaho's most precious resources -- water -- would be threatened, leading to a lot less food in the pantry, fewer people on the job, and higher prices across the board. Dam breaching is bad for Idaho and if we don't fight for our dams and protect our water, we'll most certainly lose a lot of what makes Idaho the state we're proud to call home.

Related Pages:
Simpson Needs to Provide Answers on Dams Proposal by Rep. Scott Bedke, Idaho Mountain Express, 2/24/21