As some federal legislators move to stifle salmon recovery and science, Columbia Riverkeeper recently released new research on how the Snake River dams affect water temperature and salmon migration. In 2015, hot water killed 250,000 sockeye salmon in the Columbia River basin. Despite the record-breaking temperatures and fish kills in 2015, Columbia Riverkeeper’s study reveals that the Lower Snake River would have remained cooler than 68 °F—the temperature threshold for salmon migration—if the lower four Snake River dams had been removed.
On this episode of Locus Focus we talk with Brett VandenHeuvel, Columbia Riverkeeper's executive director, about current efforts in Congress to block federal agencies from taking court-mandated steps to help endangered salmon migrate past the dams. The proposed bill would also prohibit federal scientists from even studying whether to remove the four obsolete Lower Snake River dams. We'll hear what Columbia Riverkeeper is doing to counter these salmon-killing measures.
Brett VandenHeuvel leads Columbia Riverkeeper’s policy and legal advocacy work. Brett designs and implements creative campaigns, including current work to protect the Pacific Northwest from fracked gas, oil, and coal infrastructure. He is an attorney with expertise in energy facility siting, the Clean Water Act, and land use. Prior to joining Riverkeeper, Brett conducted research on climate change during field expeditions to Antarctica and New Zealand. His work with Riverkeeper has been featured in numerous publications, including The Daily News, The New York Times, Fox News, and the Lewis & Clark Chronicle. Brett lives in Hood River, Oregon, with his family.
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