ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, US — The administration of US President Joe Biden unveiled a $1 billion plan that would study the potential breaching of the Columbia and Snake River dam system in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) to address salmon declines, an action opposed by the National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA), pointing to its impact on the agricultural economy.
The Biden administration, environmental groups, four tribal governments and the states of Washington and Oregon announced an agreement filed Dec. 14 in US District Court in Oregon. The settlement proposes that the administration help fund and conduct studies on “how the transportation, irrigation, and recreation services provided by the four Lower Snake River dams could be replaced, to help inform Congress should it consider authorizing dam breach in the future.”
The NGFA represents grain, feed, processing, exporting and other grain-related companies that operate more than 8,000 facilities handling grains and oilseeds across the United States. The NGFA said it opposes any actions by federal or state governments that would result in breaching the Lower Snake River dams, effectively shutting down the world’s third-largest export corridor for grains and oilseeds.
“Barges are the most environmentally friendly mode of transportation for grains and oilseeds with one four-barge tow moving as much grain as 140 rail cars or 538 semi-trucks,” the NGFA said following the Biden administration’s announcement. “Removing the Lower Snake River dams would hurt producers and negatively impact the operations and livelihoods of NGFA members and their employees who have made investment decisions based on the ability to utilize barge transportation. “
The four dams in question are Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose and Lower Monumental, which are upriver from the convergence of the Snake and Columbia rivers at Richland, Washington, US. The Pacific Northwest exported 34 million tonnes of grains and oilseeds in 2022, according to the US Department of Agriculture. An estimated 10% of total annual US wheat exports passes through the system each year.
“Studies have been completed that show the significant, negative impact (of breaching) that would occur in the Pacific Northwest,” the NGFA said. “In addition to the impact on agriculture in the PNW and throughout much of the western and northern United States, reduced exports could also impact global food security. Agricultural stakeholders have been ready and willing to share these insights throughout the mediation process. As major stakeholders in this decision, NGFA members hope the agricultural industry is included in any study that is conducted or proposed as a result of this announcement.”
