The Oregonian guest opinion: Federal government doing to little to help Columbia salmon

By Liz Hamilton

At a time when Americans need their faith in government restored as national lawmakers play chicken with the world economy and approval ratings plummet — out pops The Federal Family’s (Bonneville Power Administration, US Army Corps of Engineers and NOAA Fisheries) new biological opinion, which may surpass even those lows. The court-mandated biological opinion is the cornerstone for salmon recovery in the Columbia Basin.  None of the four previous attempts have passed the federal court’s straight face test, which has given rise to just how important basic principles of balance-of-power and the judicial branch of government are to the country, and ultimately Columbia Basin salmon…Read the full piece online at The Oregonian.