BREAKING: Snake River dam breaching plan moves forward

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Today, the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Spring Reservation, the Nez Perce Tribe and the states of Oregon and Washington presented the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative (CBRI) – a roadmap for the long-term recovery of salmon and steelhead within the Columbia River Basin.

Based on the comprehensive solutions outlined in the CBRI, the Biden administration announced a package of U.S. government actions and commitments to provide initial funding, resources, and steps to begin implementation of the Initiative.

This plan and federal commitments were secured through more than two years of negotiation and mediation stemming from decades of litigation. Thanks to the Biden administration, the four Lower Columbia River Treaty Tribes, the states of Oregon and Washington, and the advocacy of people like you, there’s light at the end of the tunnel. We are now on a path to replace the services of the four lower Snake River dams and begin rebuilding salmon populations to healthy and harvestable levels

The path forward is not without hurdles, but today’s announcement brings us closer to a free-flowing Snake River than we’ve ever been since the dams were built. Decades of persistence brought us to this moment, and we’re going to need your help to maintain the momentum until the river is restored.

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Members of Congress

Subject: Pledge your support to implement immediate actions and investments to restore a free-flowing Snake River and protect salmon and steelhead from extinction

Message:

I am writing to urge you to support recovery of healthy and abundant salmon in the Columbia River Basin and honor our nation’s treaty obligations to Tribes. The comprehensive and visionary Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative (CBRI) – and the recently announced Biden administration commitments, actions, and investments – provide a pathway for recovery of salmon, steelhead and other Native fish populations throughout the Columbia River Basin, including more than half a billion dollars in federal funding to the region and additional resources for habitat restoration and fish passage infrastructure. I urge you to support the Six Sovereigns Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative and Biden Administration agreements, to ensure the United States Government and federal agencies successfully implement the necessary actions and investments. The Columbia River was once one of the most productive river systems in the world for salmon. 7.5 to 16 million salmon and steelhead used to spawn in the river and its tributaries every year. Today, salmon in the Columbia and Snake Rivers are on the brink of extinction, with devastating cultural and economic impacts across the Pacific Northwest. We must work together, and seize this historic opportunity to honor Tribal Treaty rights and lead the largest salmon recovery and river restoration effort in history, while advancing our economy and modernizing our energy, transportation, and agricultural infrastructure. I urge you to pledge your strong support and work urgently with Tribes, the Biden Administration, State and Federal agencies, and community stakeholders to end the harmful status quo, and effectively implement the necessary actions and investments- benefiting the entire region and future generations. Sincerely,

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The Biden Administration

Subject: Thank you for setting a path to restore the Snake River

Message:

Thank you for your administration’s efforts to recover Columbia and Snake River salmon and honor our treaty obligations with Tribal Nations. The recently released United States Government Commitments in support of the Six Sovereigns’ Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative are an important step that moves us closer to achieving those goals. The Columbia River was once one of the most productive river systems in the world for salmon. 7.5 to 16 million salmon and steelhead used to spawn in the river and its tributaries every year. Today, salmon in the Columbia and Snake Rivers are on the brink of extinction, with devastating impacts for the Northwest. Taking decisive action to recover salmon is an investment in our future given the significant cultural, recreational, and economic value of these fish. Working together, your administration, the Six Sovereigns, and stakeholders can move us towards recovering salmon and honoring our obligations to the Tribes. The United States Government Commitments released by your administration, as well as your “Memorandum on Restoring Healthy and Abundant Salmon, Steelhead, and Other Native Fish Populations in the Columbia River Basin,” demonstrate that recovering healthy and abundant salmon is a priority for the federal government. Your leadership has set the region on the path to salmon recovery— but we have much more work to do to ensure that all federal agencies act urgently to implement these directives and make swift progress toward breaching the Lower Snake River dams to prevent extinction and rebuild native fish populations. Thank you again for your administration’s dedication to recovering salmon and honoring our Tribal treaty obligations. I urge you to continue to work with the Six Sovereigns, regional stakeholders, and Members of Congress to enact a comprehensive solution that includes breaching the Lower Snake River dams to recover healthy and abundant salmon and honor our treaties with the Tribes. Sincerely,

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