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

Green Power Is Available Now to Replace the L4SRDs–In Fact, Ratepayers Are Subsidizing an Inferior Technology –

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