Writing, thinking, debating and negotiating on salmon recovery was, at one time, a weekly if not daily event for me.

So important was this issue that in 1990 my colleagues and I convened a so-called “salmon summit” to bring together decision-makers and stakeholders to address the issue and confirm a collective commitment to saving this precious natural icon. Unfortunately, that summit did not produce the collective commitment and dedication needed to solve the salmon crisis.

While there has been some progress on measures to conserve salmon in the intervening years, it is disheartening that the region appears to be on the brink of getting mired again in the same quarrelling and legal battles that plagued our efforts years ago.

The salmon need our help and that help has never been closer that it is today. We see it in the form of a federal plan called the Biological Opinion for the Federal Columbia River Power System.

No plan, not one during my tenure or any other federal plan for species recovery developed to date, has involved the level of collaboration, financial commitment, scientific analysis and research, and broad regional support as the current one.

It is scientifically grounded and has been repeatedly vetted. It addresses the main factors needed for rebuilding runs. It is supported by all levels of government. It can be implemented promptly and reliably. It was not written by politicians or judges.

The region has reached a critical turning point: Move forward with the current plan or continue to debate and argue over what approach to take for salmon.

While this turning point is not a new one – this is not the first federal plan for salmon – the process by which the current plan was developed is new. The unprecedented collaborative and scientific effort and the level of support, both financial and political, for this plan are simply extraordinary.

Let’s not second-guess the smartest scientists, the collective efforts of the region and the commitment of so many families and businesses.

Twenty years ago I attempted to pave the way for this extraordinary level of collaboration and commitment. Now it’s time to finish the job and implement the plan developed over years of effort in this region.

Slade Gorton represented Washington in the U.S. Senate from 1981 to 1987 and 1989-to 2001.