Court fight looms after Trump nixes NW salmon pact
The Trump administration's withdrawal from the Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement reignites legal disputes over salmon recovery efforts in the Columbia Basin. The agreement had temporarily halted lawsuits from several Northwest tribes and environmental advocates concerning federal dam operations. The Biden administration's recent $1 billion commitment for salmon restoration and tribal-led clean energy underscores the ongoing importance of the issue. Critics, including Yakama Tribal Council Chairman Gerald Lewis, emphasized that the decision to cancel the agreement reflects a pattern of broken promises to tribes. Some stakeholders view the agreement as a precursor to breaching dams, a move that could endanger hydropower, agriculture, and shipping in the Columbia.
U. S. Sen. Patty Murray condemned the withdrawal as "grievously wrong" and "shortsighted. " The Northwest Public Power Association defended the withdrawal, calling it a necessary course correction.
The outcome of this renewed litigation could have significant implications for both environmental recovery and regional energy resources.