Tuesday May 19, 2009, 9:04 pm



Thnx Tom!!

Tuesday May 19, 2009, 9:09 pm
Wild salmon and steelhead of the Columbia and Snake Rivers connect coastal and river communities from California to Alaska and inland as far as Idaho and Nevada. Earthjustice has been in court for over a decade fighting on behalf of fishermen and conservationists to protect and restore this endangered national treasure.

Right now, we have an unprecedented opportunity to make a difference for these imperiled fish and the people who depend on them. Bringing these wild fish back depends on changing the way the Columbia River dams are operated and bypassing four obsolete, fish-killing dams on the lower Snake River.

In 2008, the Bush Administration imposed a plan that allows these lethal dams to continue killing up to 90% of some Snake River salmon runs. Earthjustice challenged the plan in court soon after it was issued, and now the Obama administration is conducting a 60-day review of that plan—providing some extra time to explore a way to resolve this long-running controversy.

Subject: Please Lead a New Effort to Restore Northwest Salmon

Dear Dr. Lubchenco, Ms. Sutley, and Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works)

I am writing to urge the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to lead an effort with the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to protect and restore the Columbia and Snake Rivers and their legendary wild salmon and steelhead runs. All four remaining populations of Snake River wild salmon and steelhead are in danger of extinction. Many populations of Columbia River salmon and steelhead also are listed under the Endangered Species Act because of the risk of extinction they face.

Working together, NOAA, CEQ, and the Corps can lead efforts to restore these vital wild salmon runs and make local communities whole again by bringing together key stakeholders in the Pacific Northwest to craft an effective, legal, and science-based blueprint to resolve this long-standing controversy in a way that produces healthy salmon populations, sustainable new jobs, healthy economies, an improved transportation system, and clean and affordable energy.

The recovery of the Snake River salmon runs is especially critical because these fish migrate the furthest, past the most dams, and yet have access to the largest area of unspoiled spawning habitat of any Columbia Basin salmon -- millions of acres of cool, high-elevation wilderness in central Idaho and northwest Oregon. This wild salmon refuge will be critical as the effects of global warming impact the west.

For many years, scientists have said the most effective step we can take to protect these salmon is removal of the four lower Snake River dams. This action would generate hundreds of millions of dollars in jobs and income every year through restoration of recreational, commercial, and tribal fishing communities. Similarly, a restored lower Snake River would provide an estimated $310 million annually in new non-fishing recreational opportunities such as boating, hiking, hunting, and camping. In addition to these significant economic benefits, dam removal itself and replacement of their limited services with alternatives would generate many thousands of jobs and would save many millions of taxpayer dollars over the long-run.

U.S. District Court Judge James Redden recently explained his preliminary conclusion that the Bush Administration's 2008 biological opinion is illegal and urged the federal government to consider all the options -- including lower Snake River dam removal -- to restore these fish. In the words of Judge Redden, "[a]ll of us know that aggressive action is necessary to save this vital resource, and now is the time to make that happen."

I urge you to lead the development of a new biological opinion for Columbia and Snake River salmon, one that makes a clean break from the failed policies of the past, one that is based on the best science and that follows the law, and one that includes lower Snake River dam removal. We need such a plan to give these extraordinary wild salmon a fighting chance at survival and recovery.

Thank you in advance for your leadership on this important issue.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Tuesday May 19, 2009, 9:42 pm
Signed. Tx Tom

Wednesday May 20, 2009, 3:23 am
Signed. Thanks Tom.

Thank you for standing up for the Snake River salmon runs!

Your message has been sent to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — thank you for making a difference!

Wednesday May 20, 2009, 3:43 am
noted & signed.

Wednesday May 20, 2009, 5:10 am
Noted & signed

Wednesday May 20, 2009, 9:49 am
Already participated in this campaign Thanks tom

Wednesday May 20, 2009, 3:16 pm
noted & already signed

Wednesday May 20, 2009, 3:35 pm
done thankyou

Wednesday May 20, 2009, 6:38 pm
I signed. Thank you Tom!:)

Wednesday May 20, 2009, 8:01 pm
Signed, thanks Tom

Thursday May 21, 2009, 7:37 am
Noted & signed already, Thanks

Thursday May 21, 2009, 10:31 pm
Signed, thanks Tom.