Eastern Washington relies on dams -- does Olympia know this?

U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse states he has been a strong supporter of the Columbia and Snake River dams that are the economic lifeblood of our region and all of Eastern Washington. It is disappointing that some folks on the west side of the state cannot recognize that salmon and dams can co-exist. 

In Congress, Newhouse has been working with Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and other colleagues from the Pacific Northwest to make sure that we are finding ways to ease fish passage and not doing harm to salmon populations, as we utilize the renewable, carbon-free electricity generated by the dams.   

The Tri-City Herald Editorial Board stated, "Why do [the Democrats in Olympia] want another study? Because they don't like the evidence that already shows how vital those dams are to Eastern Washington, how salmon and dams can co-exist and that dams are not the only factor in the fish struggles. Other issues include overfishing and pollution in Puget Sound."  

This should not be a partisan issue, but it requires both sides of the state to listen and learn from one another.

The editorial in the Tri-City Herald.

-- by Dan Newhouse