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OLYMPIA, Wash. Gov. Inslee responded to Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson’s radical proposal to breach dams along the Snake River to preserve fish life and invest in clean energy, calling it “bold” and “transformative.”
Inslee did not throw his full support behind it but said he appreciates the boldness of the plan, especially in its investments in regional industries and clean energy.
The flagship item of Simpson’s proposal includes breaching several dams along the river, with the aim of reversing the dwindling salmon and steelhead populations conservationists warn are on the brink of extinction.
It also includes several billion dollars in clean energy projects to supplant whatever energy is lost with these breaches.