“Dams were constructed on the Columbia River during the Depression era, creating jobs for non-Indians and promising to provide cheap electricity. Promises were made to the Columbia River tribes that the concrete walls across the Columbia River would not have a negative impact on the salmon, and, if they did, that hatcheries would be built to mitigate for those impacts (Tovey et al, 2006).” Energy exists as a complex network between those who generate it, and those who use it. Modern Indigenous food systems are largely reliant on energy, but also suffer harm, as generating facilities invariably cause incidental harm to First Foods, and transmission lines bisect tribal lands, often restricting access and creating challenges for migrating wildlife and treaty rights access issues. Regional energy networks are often vulnerable to multiple climate impacts, and are linked to wildfire ignition, and electricity interruptions threaten community safety and stability, reductions in generating capacity, and increased maintenance costs to public infrastructure.
Updated 7/5/2023