> “… without deeper understanding or knowledge.”

Ha! Like the common sense to dam migratory river systems to make hydroelectric power. Good idea at the time, and who cares about salmon. I have a toaster, and a percolator, and a new fangled “ice” box (formerly chilled by ice, now a maker of ice).

S/ My common sense says 1.2B compensation to not do something we otherwise need is bananas as opposed to the common sense—pound salt response. Good thing I’m not in government, yeah. /s

We have a hydroelectric dam near us with a salmon leap next to it. Good visitor attraction too.

It'll provide power for decades with little maintenance and not much further in the way of environmental issues now that it's built.