The USA built More than 1,000 hydropower dams In the last century. These dams differ in size, shape and functions than the rivers in which they were built. Your social and ecological costs and advantages are also different.

Tribes, statesAnd Healers of thousands of Americans Recently pushed for the removal of bundeweds at the lower snake river in the state of Washington. The aim is to restore plenty of salmon lines and honor tribal rights and treatment.

But in A Congress hearing On May 7, Energy Secretarry Chris Wright said that he “passionately” supported these four dams. Wright also revealed that he has no idea what these fours actually do.

Not all dams are the same. The dams of the lower snake flow do not produce the type of “high -quality electricity” that Wright claimed. These four dams are currently producing 4 percent of the region of the regionMostly in Spring and early summer If the Pacific northwest has far more wind, solar and other hydropower plants than we need.

Wright was believed Gigantic storage deviceSo that “if it increases for electronics, you can release more water” and “you can hold it back if you don’t need it”. But the dams of the lower snakes River don’t work that way. Essentially, these four dams contain as much (or like slit) water as it flows upstream. Her Inability to save and in general Large quantities

Wright was not everything in his wrong information; He replied to a question from Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), The implied that the Dams of the lower snakes also deliver “flood protection” and “irrigation”. You don’t. These four dams can have large amounts of water and therefore not store Cannot delay or prevent sensibly A flood. The latest studies also show that it is used to Water plan for irrigation When the lower snake flow dams remove and actually evaporated by these four reservoirs Waste enough water Add apples 8,000 acres every year.

Wright and New House rely on broad general men about dams and hydropower that do not apply to the lower snake river. For example, both expressed their view that dams and salmon can coexist. This can be true in limited cases, but in relation to the lower Snake River the top of our country Federal And Independent Fishing facilities found that UNHOME is essential for the restoration of abundant salmon.

The advantages of the Dams of the lower Snake River are modest, but still real and important – east of certain communities and people in Easy Washington Wolf about them Director. These dams make the product a little electricity, and this electricity is less violent for our climate than burning fossil fuels (Altogh is Under no circumstances carbon -neutral) .. These dams also make some load barge easier, and a considerable amount of irrigation equipment would be moved or rebuilt if these were removed.

The Trump government recently Terminated his opposition To replace these services to facilitate the lower snake flow, an engine that Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) Called “A betrayal of our tribes and an enormous setback for the ATRE Northwest.” Everhalesses, states, tribes and organizations that are committed to removal of dams are striving to find solutions and unlock the best of the Pacific northwest to reduce wealthy Salman to support advertising, sorting and tribal fishing. Honor tribal rights and contracts; and protect endangered Orca Whoes.

How to replace the lower Snake River dams and their services is one of the most important political questions with which the Northwest Pacific is faced. Politicians are not solved, repeat the platitudes or misinformations. America deserves an energy secretary who understands the problem and supports solutions that work for everyone.

Miles Johnson is a legal director at Columbia Riverkeeper.