"Lawyers for conservation groups, Native American tribes, and the states of Oregon and Washington are returning to court Friday to seek changes to dam operations on the Snake and Columbia Rivers, following the collapse of a landmark agreement with the federal government to help recover critically imperiled salmon runs. President Donald Trump last year torpedoed the 2023 deal, in which the Biden administration had promised to spend $1 billion over a decade to help restore salmon while also boosting tribal clean energy projects."
"The plaintiffs argue that the way the government operates the dams violates the Endangered Species Act, and over decades of litigation judges have repeatedly ordered changes to help the fish. They're asking the court to order changes at eight large hydropower dams, including lowering reservoir water levels, which can help fish travel through them faster, and increasing spill, which can help juvenile fish pass over dams instead of through turbines."
Lawyers for conservation groups, Native American tribes, and the states of Oregon and Washington are seeking court-ordered changes to dam operations on the Snake and Columbia Rivers to aid critically imperiled salmon and steelhead. The legal action follows President Donald Trump's withdrawal from a 2023 federal agreement that pledged $1 billion over a decade for salmon restoration and tribal clean energy projects. Plaintiffs contend current dam operations violate the Endangered Species Act and seek lower reservoir levels and increased spill at eight large hydropower dams to improve fish passage. The federal government warned such changes could compromise safety, efficiency, and raise utility rates. Conservation attorneys say several salmon and steelhead populations are on the brink of extinction and central to Northwest tribal life and identity.
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