Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Obama Administration Tuesday said it wants to largely maintain the Bush Administration’s approach to endangered Northwest salmon and Columbia Basin dam operations.

Environmental groups reacted with bitter disappointment.

River-dependent businesses expressed relief.

The new administration’s point person on salmon and dams is Commerce undersecretary Jane Lubchenco.  She presided over a five month review of the last Bush-era salmon plan.

With some modest enhancements, she declares the package to be “biologically and legally sound.”

Jane Lubchenco: “We believe the time has come to move out of the courtroom and get to work recovering salmon and preserving the region’s unique way of life.”

The Obama Administration says it will entertain breaching of four dams on the lower Snake River only “as a last resort.” 

It asked the Army Corps of Engineers to develop new budget estimates and a roadmap for how dam breaching could be done someday.

Online:

Obama Administration salmon plan