FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 25, 2025
Contact: Senator Ben Toews
[email protected]
(208) 209-7791
BOISE, Idaho – The Idaho Senate Republican Caucus today reaffirmed its unwavering opposition to the removal or breaching of the dams on the Columbia-Snake River System and its tributaries, following recent remarks made by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. during his official visit to Idaho.
During his visit, Secretary Kennedy suggested support for breaching the lower Snake River dams—an idea that contradicts the long-standing, Republican-supported economic and environmental priorities of Idaho. While Senate Republicans appreciate Secretary Kennedy’s ongoing work with the Idaho Legislature and native Idaho tribes on advancing medical freedom and expanding healthcare choice, they firmly oppose any federal or regional effort to undermine Idaho’s water sovereignty, energy security, or agricultural economy through dam removal.
“The dams on the Columbia-Snake River System are not only vital to Idaho’s economy and rural communities—they are essential to our way of life,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Kelly Anthon. “They provide carbon-free energy, affordable electricity for rural Idahoans, efficient and sustainable transportation of our goods, and irrigation that supports the most productive farmland in the country. The people of Idaho, not Washington, D.C., should decide the future of our water and infrastructure.”
The Idaho Senate has made its position on this matter clear through numerous official acts, most recently with Senate Joint Memorial 103, which passed the Senate with unanimous Republican support and only Democrat opposition. The memorial opposes any action to degrade, remove, or breach any dams on the Columbia-Snake River System or its tributaries and affirms Idaho’s sovereign control over its water resources.
“This is not just a policy debate—it is about protecting the livelihood of Idahoans,” said Senator Lori Den Hartog, Senate Majority Leader. “Removing these dams would cripple our transportation systems, destroy economic opportunities, raise electricity rates, and jeopardize water for agriculture. We cannot allow environmental politics to override science, sovereignty, and the well-being of our citizens.”
SJM 103 outlines the multifaceted benefits of the dams and river system, including:
- Generating 1,000 megawatts of carbon-free energy annually
- Providing transportation for roughly 50% of Idaho-grown wheat to global markets
- Supporting rural power utilities serving over 140,000 Idahoans
- Ensuring irrigation and recharge water vital to Idaho’s agriculture
- Maintaining the functionality of the Port of Lewiston—Idaho’s only seaport
Senate Republicans emphasize that the causes of fish population declines are complex and multifactorial and that any recovery efforts must be science-based, not politically driven.
While the Idaho Senate Republican Caucus deeply appreciates Secretary Kennedy’s willingness to engage Idaho leaders and his continued partnership to make Americans healthy again, it is clear that on the issue of dam removal, the people of Idaho speak with one voice: The dams must stay.
Contact:
Idaho Senate Republican Caucus Chair Ben Toews (208) 755-3213 or
Idaho Senate President Pro Tempore Kelly Anthon (208) 431-5863
Office Phone: (208) 332-1300
About Idaho Senate Republican Caucus
The Senate Republican Caucus is committed to preserving freedom, promoting personal responsibility, and delivering commonsense solutions that reduce regulatory burdens and support Idaho’s small businesses. Visit their website at https://www.idahosenategopcaucus.com/
