S-4665.1 _______________________________________________
SUBSTITUTE SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 8026
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State of Washington 55th Legislature 1998 Regular Session
By Senate Committee on Agriculture & Environment (originally sponsored by Senators Loveland, Rasmussen, Prentice, Hale, Prince, Newhouse, Morton, Winsley, Hochstatter, Goings, Zarelli, McCaslin, Sellar and West)
Read first time 02/06/98.
TO THE HONORABLE WILLIAM J. CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:
We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:
WHEREAS, The Columbia and Snake River dams supply a significant portion of the electrical power for the Pacific Northwest; and
WHEREAS, Proposals are being advanced for the federal government to breach dams, but data on the effectiveness of this strategy is incomplete and inconclusive; and
WHEREAS, In the 1950's, the federal government pledged to provide the funding and engineering to construct fish bypass elements around these dams; and
WHEREAS, Breaching the dams would have a devastating effect on the economies of river-dependent cities and ports; and
WHEREAS, Restoring wild salmon runs will require a long-term, comprehensive approach by all interested parties;
NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the President and Congress reject any proposals that seek to breach the dams on the Columbia or Snake Rivers; and request that Congress follow through on its commitments made in the 1950's in regard to providing funding for effective passageways around the dams for fish.
BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable William J. Clinton, President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.
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