Tribal Leaders Call For Dam Removals

On Indigenous Peoples Day, two tribes are calling for the removal of three hydroelectric dams along the Columbia River to help restore salmon migration and feed endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales. According to the Seattle Times, the three dams generate enough electricity to power more than two million homes every year. The newspaper reports the Columbia River Basin only sees a small fraction of the millions of salmon it used to produce.

According to Q13 News, at a press conference in Oregon Monday, tribal leaders said the dams were built without their consent, destroying a key source of food. Ongoing efforts in Eastern Washington have long sought the removal of four dams along the Snake River, which would likely have an impact on the state's agricultural industry.