Clay Landry

In the following viewpoint, Clay Landry argues that listing salmon as endangered will actually harm them. He maintains that voluntary programs that provide financial incentives for farmers to protect salmon work better than federal regulations that hurt farmers financially. Water markets— the term for the buying and selling of water rights—ensure that there is enough water for salmon and for farmers, he argues. Landry is a research associate at the Political Economy Research Center whose goal is to provide free market solutions to environmental problems.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What agencies supported the voluntary salmon recovery program, according to Landry?
2. How has the agricultural community reacted to cutbacks in water rights, according to Landry?
3. According to the author, what were the benefits from the...