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Simpson's Salmon Plan Weighs Many Interests by Rick Johnson Idaho Mountain Express, February 2, 2022

The only scientifically supported way to return Idaho’s salmon:
opening the four lower Snake River dams in Washington.

I have been a close observer of Rep. Mike Simpson’s entire career in Congress. There’s a lot he says and does I disagree with. He is a conservative Republican. I am not. But we have worked together many times. I have spent decades helping create solutions for long-term protection of Idaho’s outdoors. I have worked with Simpson to make a difference rather than each of us firing off shots just to make a point. Making a difference for Idaho is pretty rare these days.

I have watched Simpson stand up for farming and ranching for years, so the letter to the editor from Simpson’s primary opponent published on Jan. 26 (“Simpson prioritizes fish over farmers") is ludicrous. Yes, Mike Simpson is standing up for Idaho salmon and steelhead. He supports the only scientifically supported way to ensure Idaho’s Salmon River remains worthy of its name: opening the four lower Snake River dams in Washington. But the whole point of his proposal is that he stands up for every other impacted interest, too.

Mike Simpson is the first to provide dollar value to what the dams provide, paired with the scientific truth about how we recover salmon and steelhead. His goal is to prevent the extinction of salmon and steelhead, fairly for all, from the bottom up, rather than waiting for inevitable decisions forced on Idaho by a court judge or distant bureaucrats. Parts of his proposal may go too far to protect established interests, in my view, but are driven by his personal commitment to stop the endless litigation and a status quo where everyone loses. His commitment to Idaho farmers is equal to his commitment to energy, transportation, recreation economies and tribal justice, all tied to salmon. As Idaho Republicans claw at each other, facts still matter.