ENOUGH DOOM AND GLOOM

I don’t know about you, but I’ve about had it with the doom and gloom that Covid has gifted us, and I’m more than ready to move on despite the escalation of the pandemic. So, if you’re ready for some great news, I have some for you!

GOOD NEWS #1

   

Bristol Bay, Alaska

       For those who are environmentally aware - or involved - or interested, hang on to your hats. The Army Corps of Engineers has at long last denied the application for a permit to operate the Pebble Mine, saving the pristine Bristol Bay of Alaska  which may well have been devastated had the permit been approved and the project become operational.

  Earlier in 2020 the Corps denied the project as it was then  planned and required a new mitigation plan. Most opponents to the dam quietly worried that the Corps might buckle to the big money group wanting to create an open pit copper-magnesium mine. Most locals were gravely concerned about the impact of such a disastrous enterprise on the salmon run in the area, the world's largest run. But salmon weren't all that was at stake - other fisheries and numerous wildlife and the health of people in the area were also at extreme risk. The Corps finally agreed that "the mine would cause significant degradation and significant adverse effects to the waters and fisheries of Bristol Bay." The icing on the cake for this decision may have come with the release of "The Pebble Tapes," secretly recorded in a meeting and released to the Corps.

Over the years, literally thousands of people have petitioned, written letters, called representatives, and donated money to organizations fighting this catastrophic proposal. Ultimately it became clear that the Corps did not have confidence in the Pebble Mine plan to mitigate the damage that would be done to nearly 200 miles of streams, 4500 acres of impacted waters and wetlands. 

I think an important take-away of this decision is the fact that for once money did not prevail and influence the final decision. Anymore this seems breathtakingly rare.

GOOD NEWS #2

Dam Removal showing success already!

Another win for the environment is the removal of the dam on the Pilchuck River. The dam was removed in August, yet already an increased number of salmon have been seen in the river. According to Matt Puley, a project coordinator, they've even seen chinook salmon navigating the river. 

Other dams are being considered for removal too. Earlier in 2020 a dam was removed from the Nooksak River, and the Nelson Dam is scheduled to be removed in 2021.

Washington State is certainly not new to dam removal.The Elwa and Glines Canyon dams were built in the early 1900s and were used to generate power for Port Angeles and the growing area. Of course, the dams blocked salmon from migrating upstream to spawn and disrupted the flow of sediment. It also flooded homes and cultural sites. However, in 1992 Congress passed the Elwha River Ecosystem and Fisheries Restoration Act, authorizing the removal of the Elwa Dam and then the Glines Canyon Dam.  The removal of the Elwha started in 2011 and was followed by the Glines Dam in 2014. Once again, the Elwha became a free-flowing river!

The goal of many concerned about starving orcas and dwindling salmon runs is to remove the four lower Snake River Dams. The issue here is that these dams provide power to many and also irrigation for wheat growers. Having the dams allows barge transportation for Washington wheat growers to ship their wheat. But breaching the dams and allowing water to freely flow would cool the water down and certainly allow far more salmon to navigate the river. This is a highly controversial topic with both sides having a lot at stake. There's basically no room for negotiation. Winner take all.

In 2019 it was decided that the Bonneville Dam that controls the Columbia River (Oregon) and provides power to thousands of people would let more water spill over the dam in an effort to help salmon. The problem still remains that the fish are expected to return to their spawning grounds by climbing up a ladder with sea lions snapping them out of the air. 

GOOD NEWS #3

And, not to be overlooked, according to the Capital Press, "Plans to remove four hydroelectric dams along the lower Klamath River in Southern Oregon and Northern California are back on track, with possible demolition happening in 2023. The removal of these dams will open about 400 miles of stream habitat for coho and steelhead, both threatened species. AND, if successful, "...it would be the largest dam removal and river restoration project in U.S. History."

Although there have been setbacks, most issues seem to have been resolved. The agreement was negotiated and signed by the states of California and Oregon, PacifiCorp, KRRC and the Yurok and Karuk tribes. According to Oregon Governor Kate Brown, "We are taking an incredibly important step forward toward restorative justice for people of the Klamath River. The agreement is about far more than the removal of four dams. It is a step toward righting historic injustices."

More importantly, Joseph James of the Yurok Tribe said the project "is about healing and restoration for the river, for the salmon, and for our people...we want to emphasize that the Yurok Tribe will never rest until the dams are out and the river is healed."

GOOD NEWS #4  

The Southern Resident Pod has two new babies that have joined their dwindling numbers. Perhaps there is yet hope for this beautiful species to survive.

Why is all of this so important?

In the words of Chief Seattle:

"What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, men would die from great loneliness of spirit, for whatever happens to the beasts also happens to man. All things are connected. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the children of the earth."

May 2021 prove to be a bonus year for all earth's inhabitants (well, maybe not spiders!).

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