At our August 5 general meeting, OCA members by consensus adopted a resolution calling for the immediate removal of the four lower Snake River Dams and their replacement by clean power. Removing the lower 4 Snake River Dams will benefit the Pacific Northwest in several ways:
- Freeing the Snake River ensures restoration of fish populations and marine ecosystems. Lack of chinook salmon from the Columbia River system is a principal reason for the decline of the Southern Resident Orcas.
- A flowing river will invite local community and tourist recreation.
- Land reclamation provides ground for new agricultural development with its jobs.
- Tax and ratepayers will no longer pay for unnecessary, underperforming dams and the future burden of maintenance costs. These dams have outlived their initial intended purpose and are becoming a cost-prohibitive maintenance issue.
- Energy output from these dams is not required to support the grid, and subsidies to this inefficient technology suppresses available clean energy capacity.
https://damsense.org/ – comprehensive, in-depth website devoted to the issue
The Case for Breaching the 4 Lower Snake River Dams – Orca Network
Greenhouse Gas Impacts of the L4SRDs – John Twa, Mechanical Engineer
Southern Resident Killer Whale Synopsis – Debra Ellers, North Olympic Orca Pod
Seattle Times: Controversy over orcas vs. dams
David James Duncan on Freeing the Snake River from Mark Titus on Vimeo.
Actions to save the Orcas, from 350 Seattle: Call Governor Inslee at 360-902-4111 and ask him to take action immediately. Thank him for working to protect orcas, and tell him you support stronger action, now, without delay:
- Issue an emergency moratorium on new fossil fuel traffic in the Salish Sea.
- Define a rigorous and mandatory ‘Oil Spill Clean Up Rate’ to stop Trans Mountain tar sands crude oil from coming through Washington State.
- Stop fuel exports at March Point and Cherry Point, and the construction of the LNG facility in Tacoma.
- Stand in support of Whatcom County’s existing moratorium on new fossil fuel infrastructure.
- Call on BC Premier John Horgan take swift action against fish farms.
- Restore Chinook spawning grounds by breaching of the lower four Snake River dams.
Online petitions:
- Sound the Alarm for Orcas (EarthJustice): https://bit.ly/2Ov8b59
- GOVERNOR INSLEE: ORCA NEED BOLD, IMMEDIATE ACTION” (American Rivers) https://bit.ly/2w6V2HH
- Question the Orca Task Force, Change..org: https://bit.ly/2mNV0jN
- Remove Snake River Dams & Save Salmon from Extinction” (to Army Corps of Eng.): https://bit.ly/2yrgR8r
- Endangered Species Coalition: https://bit.ly/2vaUj93
- Center for Biological Diversity: https://bit.ly/2LCkgYc
- Oceana: https://bit.ly/2Ax48mF
Whom to call or contact and ways to provide your opinion: Sample comments and link here: “Public Feedback: Southern Resident Killer Whale Recovery and Task Force” https://bit.ly/2McBcFT
Governor J. Inslee
phone: (360) 902-4111
e-message: https://bit.ly/2F7AWDN
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GovInslee
Senator Patty Murray (425) 259-6515
fax: (509) 624-9561
e-message: https://bit.ly/2jsVl8T
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PattyMurray
Senator Maria Cantwell (202) 224-3441
fax: (202) 228-0514
e-message: https://bit.ly/2lzQshJ
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SenatorCantwell
NOAA, Barry Thom (503) 231-6266
Please tell the Army Corps of Engineers to supplement the 2002 EIS promptly and use Alternative 4 to breach the 4 Lower Snake River Dams in 2018.
US Army Corps of Engineers (202) 761-0000
Lt. General Todd T. Semonite
Commander and Chief of Engineers
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
441 G Street NW
Washington, DC 20314-1000
Northwest Division, USACE
Brigadier General Helmlinger
PO Box 2870
Portland OR 97208-2870
503-808-3800
Olympic Climate Action 
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