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Ag Advocates Worry Their Message Has Been Lost During Snake River Dam Mediation by Matthew Weaver Capital Press, April 4, 2023

There are environmental consequences to removing the dams,
and losing the power generation and navigation they provide.

More stakeholders got to speak in favor of the Snake River dams during the second day of a federal public listening session, but agricultural leaders still worry farmers' interests were getting lost in the conversation.

About 15 people spoke in favor of keeping the dams April 3, with about 32 speaking against. That followed a session March 31 in which only three people, of about 50, were allowed to speak in favor of the dams.

"It would be hard to say Friday was balanced," said Stacey Satterlee, executive director of the Idaho Grain Producers Association, who spoke during the second session. "It really felt like on Friday, there were black-and-white lines drawn, and I feel like a lot of these issues are not very black-and-white."

Satterlee dislikes the false dichotomy that people can only be pro-dams or pro-salmon.

"It's just more nuanced than that," she said. "We think you can be pro-managed river system, pro-dam and pro-salmon and pro-wanting to increase those salmon numbers."

A lawsuit filed by the National Wildlife Federation and a coalition of environmental groups and tribes has been stayed through Aug. 31 while mediation takes place. It is led by the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

Satterlee is concerned that agriculture's messages are not being conveyed during the confidential mediation process.

"If you're looking only at fish and not looking at broader impacts, ag's voice would be lost," she said. "We certainly hope the administration is willing to look at all of those broader impacts for agriculture in the region."

"I don't think agricultural voices are at the table in this process," said Amanda Hoey, the Oregon Wheat CEO, who also spoke April 3. All previous research and reports about balancing the different needs on the river system "has been certainly lost. ... It's been a pretty closed conversation that we don't have insight into."

The listening sessions served to elevate the level of concern that ag does not have a voice in ongoing discussions, Hoey said. Each speaker had three minutes -- a limited time frame and a "challenging format," she said.

There are environmental consequences to removing the dams, and losing the power generation and navigation they provide, Satterlee said.

"You have to look at all of those facets of the equation, not just salmon," she said. "The energy cannot be replaced, the navigation cannot be replaced today. There may be some point in the future where the energy can be replaced; who knows how long that will take?"

Ag stakeholders also want the mediation process to cover influences impacting salmon outside the dams, including predators and effects of the ocean.

Ag will continue to express concerns about any process that doesn't cover all aspects of the river system, Hoey said.

Another federal listening session is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pacific time May 25.