Hastings wants public to know costs of saving salmon

RIVERS — The House Natural Resources Committee held a hearing in Pasco toda on “save our dams” legislation introduced by Congressman Doc Hastings.

The Tri-City Herald reports the legislation would prohibit federal money from being used to remove hydropower dams without specific authorization by Congress. 

The bill also would:

• Prevent federal grants from being used by groups suing the federal government to breach dams.
• Make it clear that hydropower is a renewable energy source, just like wind and solar power.
• Tell consumers about how much laws to protect fish and wildlife add to their power bills.

Shouldn't the bill also assure the public knows the value of fish and wildlife lost to power production, and the associated health issues, and the cost to subsidize the barging industry and the federal cost to replace the dams and deal with the silt issues that will come to a head in the next few decades?

There's a cost to everything. To peg fish and wildlife as the villain is disingenuous.