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The Debate on Clean Energy: Should We Rethink Hydroelectric Power on the Snake River? by Micah Holm Tri-City Herald, December 15, 2024

'Clean' energy not exactly clear-cut

It seems to me there is no such thing as clean energy. Hydroelectric dams give cheap energy that was thought to be environmentally clean until the dams harmed fish populations. Nuclear power is often considered clean, yet it produces possibly the most permanent form of waste. There is no guarantee that breaching dams would be better for the environment as a whole.

I understand why there is concern over fish being harmed by the dams, but the dams do produce a large amount of affordable and renewable energy. Replacing dams with wind or solar power would not only be expensive but also could cause unforeseen harm. Replacing dams with fossil fuel power would increase carbon emissions. Either way, there would most likely be other environmental harm as a side effect of dam removal.

Fish are still valuable to the environment, however. They should be saved if possible. I know that fish ladders have had limited success at protecting fish. However, I still think we should look for alternative fish-saving methods before resorting to replacing dams with alternative power sources. While dams aren't perfect, they seem better than the alternatives.