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Kempthorne Adviser: Dams Stay, Bears Stay Out by Associated Press Wire Service, January 2001

BOISE -- Gov. Dirk Kempthorne's top adviser on endangered species reiterated his opposition to grizzly bear reintroduction on Friday and reassured lawmakers that he also opposes removing the four lower Snake River dams to help restore endangered fish runs.

"There has to be a way to save those fish without getting rid of the dams," Jim Caswell told the Senate Resources and Environment Committee during his confirmation hearing.

The former Clearwater National Forest supervisor who is now Kempthorne's administrator of the Office of Species Conservation said results can be achieved by focusing the recovery strategy on making hydropower generation less damaging to the fish, improving habitat, limiting harvests and maximizing the effective use of hatcheries.

"When you rack up the four H's, there's got to be a way," Caswell said.