Salmon Recovery
Salmon are on the brink of extinction and running out of time. Their survival/recovery depends upon healthy, resilient river and stream habitat. The ongoing decimation of the Pacific Northwest’s salmon runs is a violation of the treaties and commitments made with tribes by the U.S. Government. The four Lower Snake River Dams must be removed as part of a comprehensive solution for salmon recovery. Removing these aging and increasingly inefficient dams is essential to saving our salmon, their ecosystems, and the communities that depend on them.
A recent report from Washington Governor Jay Inslee and Senator Patty Murray confirms the findings of Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson; dam removal is possible by replacing the dam’s energy production with carbon-free sources. The report demonstrates that removal will return critically important salmon and land to native tribes, create 25,000 new family wage jobs, and generate $1 billion annually for the region.
TAKE ACTION: Submit comments to the Inslee-Murray report by July 11, urging the Northwest’s decision-makers to follow the science and implement a plan to save our salmon.
Event: Join us tomorrow, July 6, at 8 p.m. at Mother Earth Brewing for a special screening of “DamNation”, a documentary on the importance of our wild rivers to our economy, culture, and environment. We’ll be joined by Idaho Conservation League, Idaho Rivers United, and the Idaho Chapter of the Sierra Club to share information and opportunities to take action to free the Snake River and bolster the Pacific Northwest salmon and steelhead populations. Learn more about the event here.
City of Boise Zoning Code
In order to meet the requirements of a growing city, the City of Boise began a major rewrite of its zoning codes over 2 years ago. In the first round of public comment, City of Boise staff unfortunately heard prominent feedback in opposition to changes that would improve affordability, open space access, and sustainability. Even more disappointing, some residents were even aggressive and rude towards city staff.
TAKE ACTION: It is critical to ensure that our codes represent the values of all Boiseans, so please sign up today (spots fill up quickly!) for the open houses on July 14, July 18, and July 28 on this page by going to the “Upcoming Events” section.
Electric Vehicle (EV) Chargers in Idaho
Through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program, Idaho will receive nearly $30 million to build out our EV charging infrastructure. The Idaho Transportation Department is soliciting feedback from Idaho residents to shape how that funding is to be used in Idaho. It is important for our state agencies to hear your input on this specific plan, and to see first-hand the enthusiastic support for increased EV initiatives and funding within our communities.
TAKE ACTION: The final two listening sessions are Wednesday, June 6 at 5 p.m. at Garden City City Hall and online on July 13 at 11 a.m. You can sign up for the virtual meeting or take the online survey on the program’s website.
Engage With Valley Regional Transit
In the last few years, Valley Regional Transit (VRT) has taken some significant steps forward in the transition to cleaner transportation, including their new electric buses and an electric bike-share pilot program that will launch on July 13. To help local residents shape the future of VRT, the transit agency has now launched Engage VRT, an online platform for users to participate in VRT’s planning, including idea collection, voting on proposals, mapping, and surveying.
TAKE ACTION: We encourage you to take a few minutes to use this platform to encourage the agency to put more funding into electric buses, bike-share programs, late-night routes, and specific projects that meet your needs.