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Snake River Dam Rebuttal Weak by Chris Kopczynski Spokesman Review, May 25, 2007

I applaud the editorial "Facts Over Furor" by The Spokesman-Review of May 16, but I do not agree with the rebuttal by U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers ("Study fish recovery, not just dam removal," May 19). In my opinion, Rep. McMorris Rodgers is not familiar or in tune with this issue to make an intelligent rebuttal.

Among many accusations in her letter, one of the most insensitive remarks is, "The Snake River dams have long been targeted, mostly by groups and individuals from outside of our region." Most of these "groups and individuals," such as myself, have lived our entire lives in this region. The fact that Judge Redden in Portland showed the guts, vision and leadership necessary to force our government to move on this issue is heroic.

The Corps of Engineers has spent billions of tax dollars on salmon recovery, and we have nothing to show for it except more hard-line defense language. An estimated 16 million wild salmon have dwindled to several thousand that can only spawn in the last free-flowing section of the Columbia, the Hanford Reach. Leadership for wind and solar power is needed, not more dogmatic "stay the course" defense.

Hats off to Judge Redden, Reps. McDermott and Blumenauer for taking long-overdue action on this issue.