Port works with PNWA on river promotion effort

The Port of Whitman has been working with Pacific Northwest Waterways Association on a river communication effort to support the dams along the Snake River.

At Thursday's port meeting, Brenda Stav, port communications director, said the port is working with PNWA on its 2020 river communications plan.

The main push thus far with the plan is the “Faces of the Snake River” initiative.

PNWA is a collaboration of ports, businesses, public agencies and individuals who combine their economic and political efforts in support of navigation, energy, trade and economic development throughout the Pacific Northwest.

This initiative shares stories of those who depend on the Snake River whether for irrigating crops, transporting their harvest to the coast or the benefits to their rural economy.

Along with the website snakeriverfaces.com, PNWA also has a Facebook page where they share these stories, as well as advertisement online and in magazines.

According to their website, Faces of the Snake River is dedicated to sharing the real-life stories of people east of the Cascades and how, despite sometimes difficult conditions, they continue to work and live in this region.

“Some people in the public have commented to me that they've seen the ads and mentioned that they like them,” said Port Commissioner Kristine Meyer.

Ninety percent of renewable energy in the northwest is made up by hydropower while 10 percent is from wind, solar, etc., according to Bonneville Power Administration.

Currently, three feature stories are on on the Faces of the Snake River website.

According to an email from PNWA sent to the Port of Whitman, 39,000 people have seen Facebook posts from Faces on the Snake River this past week.