Nikki Haley: Snake River dam removal is ‘not the right move’

The White House announced a 10-year plan Thursday that is dedicated to restoring salmon populations in the Columbia River basin.

Included is the launch of several studies into the possibility of removing the Snake River basin’s four dams. The Lower Granite Dam is located approximately 40 miles downstream of Lewiston, Idaho. Little Goose Dam, Lower Monumental Dam and Ice Harbor Dam are further downstream, with all four dams located on the lower part of the Snake River in southeast Washington.

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“It’s not the right move and I think what we have to do when it comes to the environment, we all want clean air. We all want clean water. We all want a world that’s there for our kids, but if that’s the case, if we truly want to do that, let’s go to the source of where all the emissions are coming from — India and China,” presidential candidate Nikki Haley said on The Jason Rantz Show on AM 770 KTTH. “Go to them and start to focus on them.”

Globally, annual emissions increased by 398 million metric tons in 2023, according to The Associated Press. China’s fossil fuel emissions went up 458 million metric tons from last year while India’s went up 233 million metric tons, the two most significant jumps.

“America does a lot right, but we shouldn’t do it so much that we’re protecting sagebrush lizards over making sure people can afford their power bills,” Haley added. “Instead, let’s make sure that we are energy dominant. Being energy-dominant is a good thing. It can be an economic powerhouse, but go after the emitters that refuse to do anything about the environment. And that’s China and India.”

The newly announced plan also incorporates a new partnership with Pacific Northwest states and tribes to help restore wild salmon runs in the Columbia River system. The parties will explore energy production that is more fish-friendly while simultaneously looking for ways to move cargo and farm goods if dams are removed.

Approximately a third of the money will go to the Washington and Oregon officials and the four Lower River Treaty Tribes to restore salmon habitats. The construction of the dams upset tribal relationships to the river, according to High Country News, violating treaty rights by causing the loss of salmon and land and restricting tribal lifeways.

Federal agency reports have estimated that breaching would take just two years, but an additional seven years could be required before the river flushes out the built-up sediment behind the dams and finds a balance between sediment flow and water.

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In the Thursday announcement, the administration stated it will undertake or help fund studies of how the transportation, irrigation and recreation services provided by the four Lower Snake River dams could be replaced.

“The science is clear, for salmon populations to thrive, the Snake River dams must come down,” Sierra Club President Ben Jealous said in a statement Thursday. “We thank President Biden for presenting a plan that moves dam breaching forward by replacing their services with clean energy Pacific Northwest communities can rely on, and restores this vital way of life for local Tribes. We urge the administration to continue to work with elected officials, community stakeholders, and Tribes to finish the job and put this plan into action with the urgency that is needed.”

The White House stated that the administration is not making a judgment on whether to tear down any Snake River dams. That decision is up to Congress.

Haley also chatted about how Boeing leaving Washington was a “good business decision,” unions and the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Listen to the entirety of the conversation below:

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