County officials unite against breaching with letter written to state, U.S. elected officials

Apr. 11—ASOTIN — Asotin County officials are joining other eastern Washington commissioners in firm opposition to breaching the four Lower Snake River Dams.

At Monday's commission meeting, officials approved a letter that will be signed by multiple counties that says breaching "is not the solution to restoring our anadromous fish runs."

Commissioner Brian Shinn said the recent listening sessions were biased, and Gov. Jay Inslee's plan to conduct another study on the issue is redundant.

Commissioners Chuck Whitman and Chris Seubert agreed, and would like the letter sent directly to President Joe Biden.

"There's no plan, nationally," Whitman said. "There's no plan locally."

Dam advocates were "iced out" out of listening sessions dominated by pro-breaching groups, he said.

In addition, the cards are stacked against keeping the dams by a group of "left-wing environmental activists" overseeing a Congress committee on the issue, Shinn said.

The action by eastern Washington counties was sparked by recent U.S. government listening sessions that were dominated by speakers in favor of breaching the four lower Snake River dams.

The majority of people giving input told representatives of the federal government that the river should be restored to its free-flowing state to recover wild salmon and steelhead, compared to just a handful of people who said the dams are vital to the region's economy and should be retained.

President Biden recently pledged to work with Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho and Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell of Washington to restore Snake and Columbia river salmon runs.

However, Washington U.S. Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Dan Newhouse have introduced legislation to protect the four lower Snake River dams.

Eastern Washington county officials, including from Walla Walla, Garfield, Asotin and Whitman counties, have been working with the Salmon Recovery Board since 2006, Shinn said, along with fisheries, biologists, tribal representatives and conservation district managers.

"We have asked these experts, especially those among them that advocate for breaching of the four Lower Snake River dams, if they can guarantee that dam breaching will assure salmonid recovery. They have all answered honestly, 'No. No one can guarantee that," the letter reads.

Dam breaching proponents are "ignoring the science because it will not support dam breaching," according to the two-page letter signed Monday. "We need to work together to keep our salmon and our dams. This cannot be a zero sum game."

The letter is addressed to Murray, Cantwell, McMorris Rodgers and Newhouse. Asotin County suggested adding Biden to the list.

In other county business:

— Asotin County has received $75,210 in opioid settlement money that could possibly be used to help with drug counseling and treatment at the new jail. The next payment is slated for July for $37,605 and will continue for 17 years.

The funds will be dispersed by Asotin County, but Greater Columbia Behavioral Health, based in Kennewick, is the oversight agency for the "Regional Opioid Abatement Council," said Chris Kemp, chief operations officer.

Last year, Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced Washington state will receive the maximum $518 million under a resolution with three companies found to have played a key role in the opioid epidemic.

Local jurisdictions have divided up the money using a formula that included opioid shipments to the communities, how many people have died from opioids and how many people are currently suffering from opioid use disorder, according to Ferguson.

The funds must be used in approved ways, which include improving and expanding treatment, supporting people in recovery by providing wrap-around services like housing, transportation and education, addressing the needs of pregnant women, focusing on youth-focused programs, increasing the availability of the overdose medication naloxone, enhancing the prescription drug monitoring program and supporting first responders.

Asotin County is exploring how the money could be used at the new jail, which is scheduled to open next year.

Sandaine can be reached at kerris@lmtribune.com