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Where the River Turns by Rob Masonis Seattle Times, September 30, 2006

The purpose of I-937 is to spur the development of under-utilized renewable energy resources such as wind, biomass and tidal energy. The Northwest's rivers are already heavily developed for hydropower, a mature technology that does not need assistance from a renewable portfolio standard.

And while hydropower dams do not emit greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming, they are far from "green." They have taken an enormous toll on Northwest rivers, fish and wildlife, and river-dependent communities and businesses. For example, hydropower dams have destroyed entire salmon populations and inundated some of our most productive wildlife habitats.

None of the other renewable technologies that would be advanced by I-937 so profoundly harms entire ecosystems. If voters want a future of clean renewable energy, they should vote Yes on Initiative 937.