Submission by Kathleen Marquardt, American Policy Center

Over 30 years ago—in the mid-’90s, pre-internet—meetings were held in Western Montana, Idaho, Eastern Washington, and Oregon. These were consensus meetings—some of the earliest after the Rio Accord established Agenda 21/Sustainable Development, which was signed onto by over 100 world leaders. I was living in Helena, Montana at the time and, somehow, I was invited to attend. The meeting was broadcast live from Washington, D.C. to each location. It was the introduction of a plan to return the Columbia River Basin to pre-Columbian times.

How did the powers that be—the globalists and Marxists—intend to do that? Keep in mind, this was a consensus meeting. The intent of such meetings is to bring all—or the majority of—attendees to agreement with the plan put before them. As I pointed out in an earlier article, the major takeaway from that meeting was the assertion that the Columbia River Basin had to be returned to the state it was in before Columbus. In unspoken words: “NO WHITE MAN.” But a lot more was presented to drown out that message in recent Orwellian doublespeak straight out of 1984.

In a draconian fashion, the global elite want the area to be rewilded as part of the Wildlands Project. At this Charrette (consensus meeting), they revealed that they would begin by removing only the non-Indigenous peoples and their development. Tribal members could stay, but the dams had to go.

Shortly after Agenda 21—the plan to build a one-world government—was unconstitutionally decreed to be “law” (despite never being put to a vote in the Senate, as treaties must be), it was nonetheless inserted into every department of the federal government by Vice President Al Gore’s “reinvention of government.”

Now, if you look, you’ll see dams being removed—or marked for removal—across America, Europe, and much of the world, usually for non-existent “ecological reasons.” Those that aren’t in line to be removed are often limited in their capacity or restructured to hinder human use, all under the guise of benefiting endangered or threatened species. Ironically, these dams were originally built for multi-purpose usage—especially hydropower.

Today, so-called “green” energies like wind and solar are being touted as the ultimate clean energy solutions. Yet, they provide irregular electricity, while hydropower is reliable and always available.

One dam is now being reconfigured in a way that threatens the drinking water of local residents. The Detroit Dam on the North Santiam River in Oregon provides drinking water for the cities of Stayton and Salem—the capital of Oregon. In order to make this water drinkable, the cities use slow sand filters that operate effectively only when water turbidity remains below 10 NTU (Nephelometric Turbidity Units), according to Rob Taylor in the Northwest Observer.

Taylor reports that “The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers proposed a deep-water drawdown at Detroit Lake to improve fish passage for endangered salmon and steelhead—possibly. Similar projects have produced turbidity levels reaching 2,700 NTU, rendering treatment facilities ineffective.” This essentially kills the fishing process. A standard drawdown already occurs yearly.

Taylor continues: “Federal environmental mandates that protect endangered fish species conflict with the fundamental human need for clean drinking water.”

He also notes:

“In addition, predation pressure, particularly from growing sea lion populations, represents another critical variable often underemphasized in policy discussions. These natural predators can significantly impact salmon runs, creating a predator-prey imbalance that officials have overlooked in declining salmon populations.”

Lt. Robert Powell, USCG, has stated that anyone with real experience fishing miles out at sea can attest to the hypocritical handling of sea lions, especially at river mouths and docks from San Francisco all the way up the West Coast. Male sea lions, some weighing up to 2,500 pounds, are wildly out of balance with the species’ food supply. Photos and anecdotal accounts show a much lower fish count alongside growing sea lion numbers. New research clearly shows a direct correlation between these predators and the decline in fish stocks.

And yet, here is the false basis for dam removal: that dams are the cause of declining fish runs. This narrative, while great fodder for fundraising by NGOs, is often based on junk science and ideological agitprop. A prime example of the misapplication of science—rooted in bias and zealotry—can be seen in this NOAA document on Steller sea lions.

Powell also stated that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers once had information on a device that could be used to protect fisheries, especially in front of fish ladders at dams. It would have been a reasonable, step-by-step approach. But the environmental movement and open media have long pushed for dam removal. That has, in fact, occurred in Southern Oregon—with horrific consequences. The removals may have been illegal. Tort claims are pending, and violations of the Endangered Species Act have allegedly harmed thousands of fish, other aquatic species, and even a full elk herd. Taxpayers are the victims, and tribal communities are being used by groups with diabolical intent. All of this is driven by woke education and endless appeals to emotion over common sense.

(With some humor—if your eyes deceive you, your nose will tell the truth. Just visit Newport, Oregon.)

Taylor further points out that a similar drawdown at Green Peter Reservoir “damaged Lebanon, Sweet Home, and Albany water treatment systems.” These cities are now suing the Army Corps of Engineers for $37 million in damages, highlighting the real-world consequences of supposedly well-intentioned environmental projects implemented without adequate consideration for downstream water users. He also notes other factors that may be contributing to declining fish populations—factors unrelated to dam water levels.

Back to the beginning: the Columbia River Project. The planners have made significant strides toward their original goal—removing the white man. The waters of the Columbia River Basin in Montana are now fully controlled by the tribes. But former President Trump just pulled funding from the project.

Where it goes from here is anyone’s guess. But it should serve as a wake-up call—exposing the environmental hogwash that’s driving these policies. It’s time to return to what is right for all parties involved and to reestablish decision-making based on sound science, reason, and common sense. May those once again become the guiding principles for Oregon’s dams—and for others across the country.