The Lower Snake River dams were built during the 60s and 70s. At the time of construction their benefits were slim. With the listings of Snake River Salmon to the Endangered Species Act, what slim benefits that existed have become almost non-existent. Many of the projected benefits including, increased agriculture, developed navigation, and improved fishing, never materialized. The dams did slightly increase the power production capacity in the Northwest, although that was never their primary purpose. With the increase in of available power the aluminum production industry has flourished, but those days are gone. Currently, the aluminum industry is considering relocating overseas to areas with cheaper labor markets. In addition, agriculture in the region is facing increased global competition that has greatly decreased profits. It is clear that regardless of what happens to the snake dams, many of the industries that initially benefited from their construction are at risk.
The Endangered Species Act does not consider financial interests as a primary consideration for species rehabilitation. The National Marine Fishery Services well as a majority of respected scientists currently have the opinion that the four dams on the Lower Snake River “likely jeopardize the continued existence of the ESU’s [all four ESU received the same assessment] and adversely modify their designated critical habitat.” For these reasons we recommend that Ice Harbor Dam, Lower Monumental Dam, Little Goose Dam, and Lower Granite Dam be removed from service. It is in our opinion that the current operation of these dams creates a net loss to the region and is economically inefficient. Salmon, and environmental quality in general have important implications for our region’s economy. In addition, the removal of dams will help to revive Native American Tribal economies and living conditions. We are aware of the hardship that removing the dams will create for some of the people that live in the region and we recommend that government funds be available in order to mitigate the disruption that removing these dams will cause.