On January 22, Sen. Jim Risch (ID) and Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-4) introduced legislation that undermines important salmon recovery efforts in the Columbia River Basin. Reps. Baumgartner (WA-5), Fulcher (ID-1) and Bentz (OR-2) and Sen. Crapo (ID) also co-sponsored this legislation.     

The proposed legislation would dismantle historic progress recently achieved by Tribes and Northwest policymakers to develop and implement a comprehensive approach that recovers imperiled salmon populations with solutions that replace existing dam services, creates jobs, and invests in clean energy and modern infrastructure—ensuring a more prosperous future for communities here in the Northwest.   

The proposed legislation would lock in a failed and illegal federal plan creating risk and uncertainty for salmon and PNW communities. After decades of litigation and billions of dollars spent on mitigation efforts to restore salmon, Columbia Basin salmon and steelhead populations continue their decline to near-extinction thresholds.   

Continued inaction will result in the catastrophic loss of the majority of Columbia River basin salmon and steelhead. 
Wild salmon and steelhead are essential to our state’s cultures, economy, and ecosystems. However, 13 wild salmon populations are on the brink of extinction, returning to spawn at just 1-3% of their historic numbers. This severely harms all who depend upon these salmon: Tribes, coastal and inland communities, as well as other fish and wildlife, including the critically endangered Southern Resident orcas.  

• “Salmon recovery depends on large-scale actions,” according to NOAA's 2022 report titled "Rebuilding Interior Columbia Basin Salmon and Steelhead". “Inaction will result in the catastrophic loss of the majority of Columbia River basin salmon and steelhead stocks.”   

Viable and Affordable Solutions Exist: Historic progress is underway to implement the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative (CBRI). 
The CBRI, developed by the Six Sovereigns in 2023, establishes for the first time a comprehensive, regionally supported roadmap to rebuild imperiled native fish populations, honor Tribal treaty rights, and restore healthy ecosystems while supporting a robust Pacific Northwest economy. Support for and collaborative implementation of the CBRI is essential to the health and economy of the Columbia/Snake Basin.   

The U.S. Government is Obligated and Must be Accountable to Upholding Tribal Treaty Rights.
The proposed legislation completely ignores the U.S. government’s obligations to Tribal Nations.  The U.S. Department of the Interior's 2024 Tribal Circumstances Analysis outlines the historic, ongoing, and cumulative damage and injustices that the federal dams on the Columbia River have caused and continues to cause Tribal Nations and provides critical recommendations for upholding the federal government’s Treaty and trust responsibilities, including restoring salmon abundance.  

By proposing this legislation, Sen. Risch and Rep. Newhouse are willfully ignoring all of the recent scientific consensus and expert analysis and missing an important opportunity to provide the leadership necessary that recovers salmon, upholds our nations obligations to Tribes, invests in communities, upgrades and modernizes critical infrastructure, and works collaboratively for a healthier, more resilient Columbia River Basin.  

We look forward to working with all policy makers and stakeholders to continue advancing solutions that work for everyone in the Northwest. We invite Sen. Risch, Rep. Newhouse and the co-sponsors to join us in this effort!   

Please join us and ACT NOW to urge your members of Congress to work together on actual solutions that recover salmon and invest in our communities—moving everyone forward together!