|
 |
|
||||||||
| The Sportsman's Source for News and Information about Idaho Hunting and Fishing | ||||||||||
|
Pro-salmon groups tout number to bust four lower Snake River dams 12/4/2006 A new econonomic study, called Revenue Stream, was released Nov. 15 sponsored by Save Our Salmon, Taxpayers for Common Sense, Republicans for Environmental Protection, Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association, and several other groups and associations. The study reveals what advocates say is the best case report to date for the removal of the four lower Snake River dams in eastern Washington. The study, touted as an economic analysis of costs and benefits of removing the four lower Snake River dams, states that the removal of these four dams will likely save the American taxpayers and Northwest electrical ratepayers a minimum of about $12 million to $2 billion over 10 years, and up to $5 billion over 20 years. The study also claims an additional increase of new annual revenue to be generated from tourism, recovered fish runs, and outdoor recreation to be between $4 billion and $7 billion over 10 years. The removal of the dams is said to be an estimated onetime cost of $790.5 million. The new federal Columbia and Snake River salmon plan would be reduced by 35 to 55 percent. Removal would also lessen the need for additional Snake River tributary restoration. The study includes recent figures and data from both private and federal studies including: The 2002 Rand Corporation study; figures and studies from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); the 2002 Environmental Impact Study from the Army Corps of Engineers; and numerous other studies. The costs calculated into the study which involved in keeping the four dams included the estimated costs of the current 2004 federal Columbia and Snake River salmon and steelhead recovery plan estimated at $6 billion over the next 10 years. Also additional costs, beyond the federal plan, estimated between $142 million and $234 million per year. The dam operation and maintenance, sediment control and major dam repairs will total between $420 million and $749 million. Those four dams include – Lower Granite, Little Goose, Lower Monumental and Ice Harbor. The dams were built between 1961 and 1975 by the Army Corps of Engineers. The life span of those dams when put into operation was estimated between 25 to 50 years. There are 220 major dams in the Columbia River Basin. The study also takes into consideration the costs of replacing the lost power generated by the dams through the use of clean energy alternative generation and energy conservation. Changes in transportation use – particularly the significant decrease in barge usage through the four dams and the increased costs of barging – has caused the economic viability of the barge system to come into question. The costs of using alternative shipping via rail or trucking have not increased as much. Also the preferred choice of rail or truck for speed and convenience has place barging as a second choice to many of the traditional barge shippers. Other factors included in the study involved; irrigation, well modifications, removal and restoration costs and the increased jobs over 10 years for the removal and restoration. Several federal agencies have identified these four dams as the major cause of decline in the wild Columbia and Snake River salmon and steelhead runs. Recent federal court-ordered “flushing” of water from the middle and upper Snake River Basin to minimum river flows through the lower Snake dam system has caused intense controversy, including the attempt by R- Idaho Sen. Larry Craig to remove several agencies in charge of monitoring the wild salmon and steelhead runs. Reaction to the study by the Idaho congressional delegation was unanimous in questioning the sponsors of the study although none of the senators or congressmen questioned the science or data used in the study. |
|
| © 2005 - 2010 Wild Idaho News LLC | Home | Subscribe | Store | Contact | Press Releases | About | Links | Shopping Cart | Designed by Peak Digital Productions |