Op-Ed: Drive for profit has taken S. Fork, salmon to edge of extinction

By KEVIN LEWIS, former IRU Executive Director, originally published in The Star News

Midas wants us to believe that years of profit-driven mining is supposed to leave the East Fork of the South Fork of the Salmon River better than it is today. Idahoans are tired of promises for the South Fork Salmon River… The only thing that has proven true over the past 50-plus years is that the actions of private, profit-driven entities have taken the South Fork Salmon River and its salmon populations to the brink of extinction.

Congressman Simpson has proposed the Columbia Basin Fund, a comprehensive infrastructure package to restore wild salmon and steelhead and breach the Lower Snake River dams. The package incorporates measures to protect stakeholders, bolster agricultural communities, ensure energy stability, and revitalize Northwest communities. IRU applauds Congressman Simpson’s proposal and plan.

IRU is excited to announce the recipients of the 2020 River Awards! Throughout this year’s challenges, this group of members and partners found unique and creative ways to protect our rivers. Congratulations!

Official predictions for 2021 Columbia Basin Chinook and sockeye returns were released late last year by regional fishery managers. The outlook for Idaho’s Snake River species in 2021 follows similar trends from the last few years: a very low abundance of wild salmon.

IRU’s Wild & Scenic Stewardship Guide Education Program is off to a great start!

January 2021 Updates: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) submitted comments that highlighted both the significant issues with Midas Gold’s proposal, and the insufficient analysis in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS): “Based on our review of the draft EIS, we continue to have significant concerns regarding potential impacts to water quality and aquatic resources.” (EPA).

In early January, the Governor’s Office released the Salmon Workgroup’s final policy recommendations report.

Portland, OR – Today, Earthjustice on behalf of a coalition of fishing and conservation groups returned to court to challenge the latest federal plan for hydropower operations on the Snake and Columbia Rivers…This is the eighth incarnation of this long legal fight to restore endangered salmon and steelhead.

Ultimately, the Salmon Workgroup provided a valuable venue for Idahoans and group members to communicate the importance of salmon to our region and the desire for decision makers to come together on an effective recovery plan in a timely manner. The health of salmon and steelhead populations have been marginalized far too long, and those that rely on the wild fish have suffered as a consequence.

While the Forest Service is deep in the midst of compiling and analyzing tens of thousands of public comments on the Stibnite Gold Project, Midas Gold is seeing a sweeping internal transition in leadership. Read more about these changes, and updates on the Stibnite Gold Project.

The River Club, formerly known as the Plantation Country Club, has its eye on an island in the Boise River for a golf course expansion. The island, located just east of the Glenwood Street bridge in Boise, is held in the public trust by the State of Idaho. The River Club would lease the state-owned land and build several holes on the island, across the river from the current course. The development would impact recreation and important habitat in the Boise River.

For many of us, our favorite places and memories revolve around water. Memories of swimming or boating in lakes, wading out to cast a fishing line, hiking to waterfalls, or waves crashing on a beach instantly bring a glimmer of happiness. What is it, exactly, that causes this phenomenon?