Robert Walker
Reflection: Entering the Watershed

    I have mixed feelings about this book. In theory, the Pacific Rivers Council has a sound salmon recovery plan. Unfortunately, the plan is dependant to a very large degree on the creation of new government agencies, and the assumption that those government agencies can be effective.

    While the concept that the federal government is the only party likely to be able to effectively resolve salmon recovery issues-because it is not beholden to regional interests-may on the surface seem sensible, I think that it overlooks the reality of politics. Many industries which are detrimental to salmon have a lot of money, and therefore a great deal of power and influence in Congress. I think that anything that is perceived as "too extreme" by these industries-which is likely to be anything but the status quo-will be met with strong opposition.

    Furthermore, the federal government is more than a little responsible for the problems we have in the first place. In fact, on page 127, the authors admit that "What stands in the way are, primarily, organizational and bureaucratic turf issues, inertia, and lack of political will." They go on to say "Rather than allow the unknown to paralyze us as more systems and species disappear, we must apply the best of what we know today."

    This ignores the fact that the best of what we know today is bureaucratic turf issues, inertia, and the lack of political will! For the Pacific Rivers Council's plan to be successful will require every agency involvedin the debate to suddenly agree on just about everything, and worktogether on a comprehensive plan with salmon recovery as the primary mandate.

    I think that's unlikely to happen. Perhaps I'm overly cynical, but I prefer to think that I'm realistic. Salmon recovery is, in fact, opposed to the mandate of four of the agencies most detrimental to salmon: the Bureau of Reclamation (charged with irrigation), the Army Corps of Engineers (charged with navigation), the BPA (charged with electricity production), and the Forest Service (charged with timber production). The Pacific Rivers Council points to dozens of examples of activities by these agencies which are detrimental to salmon habitat-especially by the Forest Service. Somehow, I don't think that the creation of three-plus additional Federal agencies will suddenly change the mandates of those agencies. Additionally, even if the mandates change on paper, it's unlikely that long-ingrained attitudes will change.

    The idea that the Federal government must solve the problem is probably sound. This was proven with the ESA listing of the spotted owl. In light of the illustrious history of "jobs vs. the environment" in the Pacific Northwest, we're unlikely to solve it on our own. In fact, we've done everything possible to avoid solving the problem-to the point that several species of salmon are now on the Endangered Species list. But I don't think that anything will be accomplished if we work within the framework of existing Federal agencies. If we're to be truly serious about salmon recovery, I propose creating a new agency-the Salmon Recovery agency (SRA). The SRA would, throughout the territory listed under ESA, be singularly responsible for everything that the BPA, Bureau of Reclamation, Army Corps of Engineers, and the Forest Service currently do. This is likely to be controversial, but a singular agency with a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, and regional focus is, I think, the best way to actually accomplish the goal of substantial salmon recovery.  Additionally, this agency should be given the power necessary to make the unpopular, but necessary decisions that nobody has the guts to make at present.

    That really begs the question whether we should even bother trying to save salmon runs. Personally, I don't think it will happen either within the current framework or the framework proposed by the Pacific Rivers Council. So we're really just wasting a lot of time and money on >halfhearted measures which are implemented piecemeal, and have littleoverall effect. Also, in light of the magic of campaign contributions and political action committees, I don't think that Congress has the political will to empower an agency to do what must be done to ensure salmon recovery. Salmon have few lobbyists and less money. And at this late date, it is questionable whether our recovery efforts are likely to be successful.