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Support Dam Removal by Kristin Edmark The Columbian, December 23, 2023

I support the removal of the Lower Snake River dams. I am thankful that the Biden administration has issued a memorandum of understanding to work with Northwest tribes and the states of Washington and Oregon to better understand what is needed to remove the dams and replace the dams' services.

We now have the ability to economically replace energy produced by the dams. Removal of the dams is necessary to prevent the extinction of salmon and steelhead populations in the Snake River basin, which is about 50 percent of West Coast cold water habitat for salmon. A study by NOAA determined that the Lower Snake River dams must be breached in order to give salmon populations the best chance to recover. This is a good step toward providing a healthy Snake River so important to our communities and tribes.