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Ciarra Greene, member of the Nez Perce Tribe, walks along a section of the Snake River near Asotin, Wash. (Brian Plonka for Earthjustice)
Update June 27, 2024

The Federal Government Is Finally Acknowledging How Columbia River Basin Dams Have Harmed Tribes

A new report highlights the need for concrete action to restore salmon populations and honor treaty obligations.

Members of the Nez Perce Tribe host a stop on the “Red Road to D.C.” tour at the Snake River in Idaho on Jul. 15, 2021. Members of the Lummi Nation transported a 25-foot totem pole from Washington State to Washington, D.C., stopping at multiple sacred places under threat from resource extraction and industrial development. (Wingspan Media & Te Maia Wiki)
Press Release June 18, 2024

Federal Report Underscores Need to Protect Columbia Basin Salmon for Tribal Justice

Tribal Circumstances Analysis acknowledges historic, ongoing and cumulative injustice to Tribes from the Columbia Basin dams and need for immediate action

Earthjustice President Abbie Dillen (center) joined Earthjustice staff and clients for a White House signing of the historic Columbia River Basin agreement.
From the Experts April 12, 2024

Charting a Path Forward to Recover Salmon in the Columbia River Basin

A ceremonial signing at the White House in February honored decades of hard work and solidified partnerships to recover salmon while pointing to significant work that lays ahead.

Fishing for steelhead on the Clearwater River, upriver from its confluence with the Snake River in Lewiston, Idaho. (Chris Jordan-Bloch / Earthjustice)
Press Release March 6, 2024

Washington State Legislature Funds Recreational Study Connected to Columbia Basin Restoration

The new recreation study joins three previously-funded studies on how to best replace energy, transportation and irrigation services now provided by the lower Snake River Dams

Snake River's blue waters stand out against green landscape with Teton Mountain Range ascending in the background. Grand Tetons National Park, Teton County, Wyoming. (Edwin Remsberg / Getty Images)
Press Release February 23, 2024

Earthjustice Plaintiffs Join in White House Ceremony Uplifting Historic Columbia Basin Restoration Agreement

The landmark restoration agreement was announced in December and approved by the court earlier this month

Sun sets on a dammed section of the Snake River in between Lower Granite dam and Lewiston, ID, near Chief Timothy Park. (Chris Jordan-Bloch / Earthjustice)
Press Release February 8, 2024

Oregon’s U.S. District Court Approves Long-Term Pause of Snake River Litigation, Allowing Columbia River Restoration to Move Forward

Judge rejects requests by opponents to disapprove agreement

document February 8, 2024

Order Granting Snake River Litigation Stay

A federal judge in Oregon approved a long-term pause in Snake River litigation allowing a tribal-state plan and U.S. government commitments to restore the Columbia River Basin to continue.

An endangered female orca leaps from the water while breaching in Puget Sound west of Seattle. The orca is from the J pod, one of three groups of southern resident killer whales that frequent the inland waters of Washington state.  (Elaine Thompson / AP)
Article December 14, 2023

Northwest Tribes Demand Action for Salmon and Orca Restoration

Tribes call for dam removal and restoration of healthy salmon and orca populations during emotional two-day summit.

Sockeye salmon in Little Redfish Lake Creek, a tributary of the Snake River. (Neil Ever Osborne / Save Our Wild Salmon)
feature December 14, 2023

Timeline: A Long Fight to Restore Snake River Salmon

Learn about the major events, court rulings, and where we are now in this long-standing fight.

An adult salmon navigates through the fish ladder counting room at the Lower Granite Dam on the Snake River. (Brian Plonka for Earthjustice)
Press Release December 14, 2023

U.S. Government Sets a Path to Breach the Four Lower Snake River Dams

The Biden administration commits considerable federal resources to support the restoration of native fish populations and prepare for dam breaching

Lower Granite Dam. One of the four lower Snake River dams that Earthjustice is fighting to remove. (Chris Jordan-Bloch / Earthjustice)
Update December 14, 2023

The Government Just Took a Big Step Toward Breaching Salmon-Killing Dams

The Biden administration released a plan for restoring endangered salmon and steelhead in the Pacific Northwest.

document December 14, 2023

Snake River Litigation: Factsheet on the United States Government Commitments

The United States Government Commitments, developed as part of a lengthy mediation process, pledge the federal government to continued support for the recovery of healthy and abundant salmon populations in the Columbia River Basin, provide significant federal funding to the Northwest, assist region-wide efforts and planning to address climate change, and set the region on a path to breach the four lower Snake River dams.

document December 14, 2023

Snake River Litigation: CBRI

he Six Sovereigns’ Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative (CBRI) is a visionary and comprehensive roadmap to rebuild imperiled fish populations, honor Tribal treaty rights, and restore healthy ecosystems while supporting a robust Pacific Northwest economy.

document December 14, 2023

Snake River Litigation: Memorandum of Understanding

The Biden administration is supporting the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative with federal commitments and a Memorandum of Understanding pledging to continue working together on next steps.

document December 14, 2023

Snake River Litigation: Federal Commitments

The federal commitments will help accelerate the Pacific Northwest’s transition to truly clean energy by supporting new Tribal energy to replace the dams’ hydropower, providing regional economic opportunities and increasing resilience to climate change. Investments will be made to further habitat restoration, hatchery improvements, clean energy projects and planning, infrastructure improvements such as removing culverts and improving fish passage facilities, transportation, and more.

document December 14, 2023

Snake River Litigation: Litigation Stay

Based on a Tribal-state initiative backed by federal commitments, a coalition of fishing, conservation, and renewable energy groups, represented by Earthjustice in a lawsuit, have agreed, with the Biden administration, the states of Oregon and Washington and Nez Perce, Yakama, Warm Springs, and Umatilla Tribes, to seek a multi-year pause in Snake River litigation. The long-term litigation pause would allow for implementation of federal commitments supporting a groundbreaking new initiative advancing the recovery of salmon, steelhead and other Native fish populations throughout the Columbia River Basin.

Snake River's blue waters stand out against green landscape with Teton Mountain Range ascending in the background. Grand Tetons National Park, Teton County, Wyoming. (Edwin Remsberg / Getty Images)
Update December 7, 2023

Snake River Salmon Are in Crisis — But a Turning Point May Be Near

As time runs out for Pacific Northwest salmon, the Biden administration is signaling important steps to restore native fish populations and honor treaty obligations.

document December 1, 2023

Stop Salmon Extinction: Snake River Restoration

Learn about upholding commitments to Northwest Tribes, salmon and orcas, climate resilience, and more.