The Washington Association of Wheat Growers (WAWG) filed public comments in response to the Draft Lower Snake River Dams (LSRD) Benefit Replacement Report published on June 9.
On behalf of over 4,000 members, WAWG urged Senator Patty Murray and Governor Jay Inslee to reconsider the direction of the Joint Federal-State Process regarding dam breaching, citing the lack of feasibility of recommendations outlined in the report, along with the overall inaccuracy of scientific data used to formulate recommendations.
The consequences of implementing the report’s recommendations could wreak havoc on Washington’s state economy. As the nation’s largest wheat export gateway, the Columbia-Snake River System is critical for the transportation of over 60 percent of Washington wheat. This river system is not only key to supporting overseas export markets, but also for supporting nearly 4,000 jobs.
In addition to the inevitable adverse economic impacts, the convoluted and rushed process in which this report was written leads to recommendations with notable lack of scientific integrity.
“As farmers whose top priority is the stewardship and health of land, water, and natural resources, Washington wheat growers fully support salmon recovery efforts. However, those efforts must be backed with sound science, not political motivation,” said WAWG Executive Director Michelle Hennings. “Dam breaching is a decision that will have significant adverse impact on the economic conditions of wheat farmers who are already struggling with complicated supply chain issues and rising input costs. Decisions such as this one must be made carefully, through consideration of environmental and economic impact and the review of sound evidence—factors that seem to have been omitted from this process.”
WAWG stands ready to implement science-based, feasible solutions to ensure the health of salmon populations.