Ah, the Bonneville Power Administration cares about YOU, Oregonians.

As the losing side in a recent court battle, they argued that allowing high amounts of spill over NW dams–a measure to help endanged salmon get through–would cause citizens’ electricity bills to skyrocket. Saving salmon, they argued, is going to cost you a pretty penny. Be very afraid.

But on NPR this morning, a slightly chagrin spokesman for the BPA admitted that they were, perhaps, a bit off on this alarmist reaction. Salmon are out there somewhere, merrily splashing over dams. At the whopping average expense of eleven cents per electricity bill. Eleven cents.

If that’s “hitting [me] in the pocketbook,” it hits like a girl.