GOP senators: Lower Snake dam breaching studies ignore reality | Opinion

For years, the debate over the lower Snake River dams has been driven by political promises rather than practical realities.

Recently, Washington State University offered a rare moment of clarity in the debate. Its independent review of the Washington State Department of Transportation’s $4 million dam-breaching transportation study found what many of us feared: The state is spending millions on modeling that “has not met expectations,” relies on “unrealistic” assumptions, and is grappling with a “steep learning curve” on issues that should have been understood before the first taxpayer dollar was spent.

This is not a small critique. It is a flashing red warning light.

Even after President Donald Trump withdrew the Biden administration’s agreement that could have laid the groundwork for breaching the dams, state agencies are pressing ahead with “alternative futures” that envision replacing one of the most reliable transportation and energy systems in the Pacific Northwest. And they’re doing it with shaky modeling and no clear understanding of the consequences for the people who live and work here.

The facts are not on the dam-breachers’ side, and the WSU review proves it.

The study team presented transportation scenarios that would require new rail terminals in places like Lewiston, Endicott, Central Ferry, Lyons Ferry, Dayton, Fallon, Wilma and Kahlotus, in some cases proposing as many as seven terminals with multiple new rail lines. These are not minor projects. These are billion-dollar undertakings with enormous impacts on private property, farmland and rural communities.

And yet WSU reviewers found that some of the routes and plans were “unrealistic,” even after revisions.

If the state can’t model these impacts correctly now, how can anyone trust the long-term cost estimates that will determine the future of the region’s power grid, transportation system and agricultural economy?

The lower Snake and Columbia rivers are used to transport wheat, wood products, fertilizer, fuel and other products to Portland and beyond. Washington Grain Commission leaders told Congress last year that breaching the dams would require over 100,000 more semi-truck trips every year to replace current barge traffic. That means more diesel emissions, more wear on rural highways and more congestion on rail lines already near capacity.

And despite incremental gains in rail efficiency, WSU confirmed what producers already know: The river remains the most cost-effective, energy-efficient way to move grain.

This should matter. It certainly matters to farmers operating on razor-thin margins, to exporters competing with global markets, and to counties dependent on stable tax bases.

Breaching advocates often talk about a “clean energy transition,” yet removing these dams would force Washington to replace enough power for more than 800,000 homes at an enormous cost.

Even using outdated 2016 federal estimates, replacing the dams’ clean energy would cost hundreds of millions of dollars every year. But inflation and new studies paint a far more alarming picture.

According to independent estimates, replacing that power today with wind, solar and battery storage could cost over $30 billion before factoring in transmission lines, land use and reliability problems. Just purchasing the replacement infrastructure will take time, which will raise costs. And this will certainly lead to an explosive increase in home heating and cooling costs.

Hydropower is the backbone of Washington’s grid. It provides 25% of all hydropower in the nation, and the Snake River dams alone keep our region competitive, affordable and resilient in extreme weather. Every credible energy planner is warning policymakers that blackouts are more likely in the coming decade. Yet some still want to tear down generating resources we cannot replace.

This latest WSU critique underscores a pattern: Washington keeps throwing money at studies meant to justify a predetermined outcome. But spending millions on shaky modeling will not change the realities on the ground.

The lower Snake River dams aren’t political symbols. They are working infrastructure that keeps our lights on, our farmers competitive, our exports moving and our bills affordable. Any proposal to breach them must be rooted in rigorous analysis, not wishful thinking. WSU’s findings show we are not even close.

We urge our colleagues to rein in this wasteful effort and redirect our state’s focus to the real challenges ahead: strengthening our grid, preserving our transportation corridors, honoring our treaty obligations and ensuring that our rural communities remain economically viable.

The Snake River dams are irreplaceable, and now we have yet another study reminding us why.

Sen. Matt Boehnke represents the 8th Legislative District, Sen. Perry Dozier the 16th, Sen. Mark Schoesler the 9th and Sen. Nikki Torres the 15th. All are Republicans.

This story was originally published December 12, 2025 at 3:00 AM with the headline "GOP senators: Lower Snake dam breaching studies ignore reality | Opinion."