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Lewiston Chamber Asked to Defend Dams by Associated Press Spokesman Review, November 17, 1999

The city's Chamber of Commerce has asked chamber members if they are willing to pay to increase the organization's role in defending the lower Snake River dams from efforts to breach them.

The chamber and the Pulp and Paperworkers Resource Council have been financing newspaper and radio ads to oppose breaching the four dams to save salmon and steelhead runs.

Last year, the chamber's chief executive officer, Todd Klabenes, suggested the chamber create a political action committee to address issues such as dam breaching.

The federal government is studying dam breaching as an option to save fish runs and is scheduled to issue its recommendations early next year.

The chamber's legislative committee wants to know whether the chamber should increase its role in defending the dams and whether members are willing to help fund these increased efforts in its 20-question survey about local, state and federal issues.

The response will give committee members an indication about where members stand on the issue, Klabenes said.