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Semanko's Arguments Don't Hold Water by Nick Nicholson Idaho Statesman, May 29, 2009

One thing you have to give Norm Semanko credit for is that once he learns the words to a song he never forgets them. His favorite tune is "Idaho's salmon are recovering." He has been singing this tune since 2000 when the Idaho Water Users Coalition hired him. In 2002, we had a decent salmon return; 194,000 fish entered Idaho. In 2007, 40,000 returned. Norm calls that recovery. He used this year's projected return of 139,000 as further recovery proof. (Oops! Fish and Game just scaled back that projection by 50 percent and is hoping that holds.)

Semanko continues to whine that fish advocates want control of Idaho water, but he never tells you why he believes that. Apparently, he thinks his employers own Idaho's water and don't want to share it with migrating salmon and steelhead.

Also, it's interesting that Semanko advocates removing the federal judge who has ruled that the feds must offer a plan to save the fish. How does that threaten irrigators? Hmmm.

Removal of the four lower Snake River dams will save our fish runs, with positive effects on Idaho's water users and minimal effect on our power supply. Extinction is not an option.