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Otter and Salmon by R.L. "Nick" Nicholson Idaho Statesman, November 28, 2006

Let me get this straight. Butch Otter responded to a new study claiming dam breaching could save taxpayers money and our endangered fish runs with, "... I'm highly skeptical of these conclusions ...." "It's important to remember that this study comes from the same folks who think our loggers, miners and mill workers, and the Idaho communities they built, are better off with tourism jobs."

Wow, what an insightful response. So he is not interested in the content of the study but he disagrees with the conclusions so he attacks the authors.

Will we next hear "radical and extreme environmentalists" and "pie in the sky economic claims" followed by "use of advocacy science," all Otterisms?

Are we in for four more years of this kind of nonsense? Four more years of ignoring the root cause of the fish problem while they inch closer to extinction? Four more years spending millions on failing stay the course plans?

The new study offers innovative perspectives to solving the fish problems. If we can save the fish, save money, and not displace people who live in the river corridors it offers a change-the-course win-win situation for Idaho.

The study deserves respect and careful consideration.