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Help Salmon Today!
Pacific Northwest wild salmon are a national treasure, and a vital economic resource for rural communities across the Pacific coast. Unfortunately, four costly and out-dated dams on the Snake River are wasting taxpayer dollars and driving wild salmon towards extinction.
A federal judge recently ruled that the Bush Administration's salmon plan for the Columbia & Snake Rivers is illegal - threatening already-endangered salmon with extinction. Across the Pacific coast, salmon are critically important to a healthy environment and healthy economy - fishing and recreation businesses rely on abundant salmon runs and good habitat. Please help advocate for real salmon recovery! With no legal plan in place, Congressional leadership is needed! Ask your Representative to co-sponsor the Salmon Planning Act- HR 1615!
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: Protect Jobs and Salmon- Co-Sponsor (HR 1615) Salmon Planning Act
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
Wild salmon are a vital natural resource, providing jobs and economic opportunities for many communities. Unfortunately, this national treasure is threatened with extinction.
The four lower Snake River dams continue to be the primary cause of declining salmon and steelhead populations. Rather than improve the prospect for salmon recovery, federal agencies have decided to ignore the damage caused by those dams. Instead, the Bush Administration recently issued a $6 billion plan that does not even attempt to avoid salmon extinction--just merely slow the rate of extinction. A ruling by a federal judge has reaffirmed that a federal salmon plan released in January, 2005, and subsequent operation of these dams continue to put threatened and endangered salmon species at risk of extinction.
Billions of dollars have already been spent on ineffective programs such as trucking and barging young salmon around these salmon-killing dams. I believe American taxpayers and the people who depend on healthy salmon runs deserve a real recovery plan. That's why I encourage you to support the bi-partisan Salmon Planning Act (HR 1615).
The Salmon Planning Act (SPA) would require independent scientific analysis of the Administration's failing salmon recovery efforts, and authorize dam removal on the lower Snake River IF key federal agencies determine that it is necessary to save wild salmon. SPA also would also determine how to best protect communities, maintain energy supplies, and improve the transportation infrastructure to move goods.
We cannot afford to continue the expensive failures of the past thirty years. Please help make sure this fishery resource is restored to self-sustaining and harvestable populations. Please co-sponsor the Salmon Planning Act- HR 1615-today!
Sincerely,
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Campaign Launched:
January 21, 2005
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Over a year ago, the Bush Administration released a $6 Billion "Federal Salmon Plan" that ignores science, claims the four lower Snake River dams are immutable parts of nature that do not jeopardize salmon, and relies on trucking salmon around the dams. Scientists have called the plan a roadmap to extinction, and over 1,100 salmon and recreation-dependent businesses have expressed outrage that their economic well-being has been ignored. Both the States of Oregon and Washington have opposed this plan.
Fortunately, a federal judge ruled that the plan is illegal, and needs to be rewritten, and we need leadership in Congress to craft an effective, lasting solution for salmon, and the communities that depend upon them.
Scientists agree the four dams on the lower Snake River are the largest culprit in the salmon decline. Many scientists have concluded that Snake River salmon will go extinct in the coming years unless those 4 dams are removed. Replacing the meager benefits of those dams will be relatively simple. Those dams provide NO flood control and very little irrigation. They only produce about 4% of the Northwest's power, and their main purpose is to ship crops down river. By investing in railroads, wind power, conservation, and by simply extending the irrigation pipes, we can replace every benefit those dams provide AND restore wild salmon to abundance! Help restore salmon - please take action today!
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