Support for local dams in D.C.

Tom Kammerzell, port commissioner, shared his time in Washington, D.C., supporting the dams and river system, at the Sept. 19 port meeting.

Just days before Kammerzell's trip to D.C., the Bonneville Dam was closed due to a broken sill in the navigation lock. The closed dam gave Kammerzell plenty of opportunities to speak with others about the river system.

“It turned out to be a good opportunity to talk about the value of the river system and how it is a system that is so important to us," Kammerzell said. “The first navigation lock closing has essentially disabled the entire system.”

According to Pacific Northwest Waterways Association, the Columbia Snake River system is one of the leading trade gateways in the United States. More than nine million tons of cargo is moved a by barge on the inland portion of the system.

On this trip, Kammerzell met with the staff of representatives and senators from Washington, Oregon and Idaho.

One representative that stood out in the visit was Rick Larsen of the Washington's second district which includes the islands of the west coast and a home for the orcas.

Kammerzell mentioned that Larsen's staff has made a complete turn around with how they feel about the river system.

“A big shift for them,” Kammerzell said. “A year and a half ago the PNWA did not get a warm reception from him and the staff. This year we spent at least a half an hour talking back and forth, and they have not seen anything scientific or data-driven to get them to support dam breaching.”

Port Executive Director Joe Poire added that Larsen has the inside passage for Skagit in his district and they have a dredging project that must happen annually.

“He is in an interesting world where he spends half his time supporting PNWA and looking for funding for dredging and his projects,” Poire said.

The Port of Whitman County is in the process of developing a unified Snake River dam collaboration. This collaboration will be showcasing the region and the benefits the river system has on the economy.