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‘The lifeblood’ of our state: For 50 years, saving rivers has been good for Idaho

With leadership by four-term Idaho Sen. Frank Church, the National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was passed in 1968 and established America’s premier program for safeguarding free-flowing waterways. Now, as the 50th anniversary of this legislation approaches, it’s a good time to reflect on what has been gained.

By the 1960s, 70,000 dams had been built on virtually every major river in 48 states, and more dams were proposed to flood hundreds more valleys and canyons. Inspired by Idaho’s Salmon and Snake rivers, and alarmed by the threats of dam proposals on them, the preeminent wildlife biologists of the day, John and Frank Craighead, conceived a program to set aside the best remaining streams. Sen. Church honed their idea into legislation.

Passing unanimously in the Senate and by 265-7 in the House back in a sensible age of bipartisanship, the measure banned new dams for designated rivers and directed agencies to safeguard river values where the land is federally owned.

BY TIM PALMER AND LUVERNE GRUSSING

http://www.idahostatesman.com/opinion/readers-opinion/article178971136.html

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