Brunell hysteria misses facts

Don C. Brunell really outdid himself with his January 10th column, “Biden needs to expose his secret Snake River dam plan to reality.”

Despite his somewhat hysterical and overwrought tone, no “secret plan” was hatched in “the White House Basement.” The leaked policy statement he refers to is very much a matter of public record and has been for at least a month. It does not endorse removing the dams; it only looks at replacing lost generation from the power grid if they are to be removed — an obvious and sensible move.

Also, any plan to breach the dams would require congressional approval, which is not likely to happen for the foreseeable future. The office of the President is not a dictatorship. 

On the local level, Governor Inslee has also not called for removing the dams until clean alternative power sources can be found to replace the dams’ output. If one wants to look at it from a strictly partisan position, the only piece of legislation that proposed removing the lower four Snake River dams has come from Republican Congressman Mike Simpson of Idaho. The only legislation protecting the dams has also come from Republicans. 

Every dam comes with environmental benefits and drawbacks. The future of the four Snake River Dams is a serious issue that requires serious and thoughtful consideration. Brunell’s partisan handwringing does no one any favors. 

Dan Langdon

Electric City