Wild salmon recovery was shortchanged by 40 percent in the Bush Administration's proposed budget, the Save Our Wild Salmon Coalition charges, and the Administration has consistently failed to protect these endangered species.
The coalition released a report following the Bush budget announcement last week, citing 35 actions the coalition says undermine recovery of Pacific wild salmon and steelhead.
According to the report, the Bush Administration has failed to protect Pacific wild salmon by allowing federal dams to violate the Clean Water Act; permitting the use of toxic pesticides along the banks of salmon streams; and failing to comply with treaties or ensuring rivers have adequate water, the report says.[1]
"These actions, when taken cumulatively, indicate there will be no recovery at this rate if this trend continues," said Gilly Lyons of Save Our Wild Salmon (SOS).
The Administration's 2005 budget proposal provides only 60 percent of the resources needed to implement the federal Columbia-Snake rivers salmon plan.
"The Administration has never provided the money it said is needed to save salmon," said Todd True, senior staff attorney with Earthjustice. "We get further behind each year."
SOS is a nationwide coalition of businesses, conservation organizations, commercial and sportfishing associations, river groups and taxpayer advocates.
