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Solutions, Not More Studies, To Save Salmon by Editorial Board The Columbian, July 18, 2022

Actions speak louder than words.

Reports released last week by the Biden administration demonstrate a firm grasp of the obvious.

"Business as usual will not restore salmon," said Brenda Mallory, chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. "The Columbia River system is the lifeblood of the Pacific Northwest."

Residents throughout the Northwest are well aware of these issues. Salmon runs have been declining for decades, despite an estimated $17 billion in federal spending on preservation measures. And salmon along the Columbia and Snake rivers have influenced the region's culture for millennia.

This is not meant to mock the substance of the White House report or to downplay the importance of federal attention to salmon retention. It is, instead, meant to reinforce the notion that actions speak louder than words.

With previous measures to preserve salmon populations having limited success at best, the possibility of removing four dams along the lower Snake River has been gaining momentum. Environmentalists say the dams have disrupted salmon runs, preventing fish from returning to native spawning grounds. There also are concerns about diminishing orca populations, with the orca relying on salmon for sustenance.