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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

A coalition of fishing, conservation, and renewable energy groups, represented by Earthjustice, have jointly agreed, with the Biden administration, the states of Oregon and Washington, and the Nez Perce, Yakama, Warm Springs, and Umatilla Tribes to notify the court of an additional pause in litigation over dam operations on the Snake River for another 45 days.

Letter from Representatives Blumenauer, Salinas, and Hoyle to President Biden in support of his Presidential Memorandum on Columbia River Basin salmon recovery.

Lower Snake River Dam Coalition letter urging Congress and the Administration work with Tribal Nations, stakeholders, and the Northwest to implement a comprehensive solution to restore salmon in the Columbia and Snake Rivers, provide justice for Tribes, and ensure a successful transition to a strong and robust future.

A coalition of fishing and conservation groups, represented by Earthjustice, have jointly agreed, with the Biden administration, Oregon, the Nez Perce Tribe and others to ask the court for an additional 60-day pause in our litigation over dam operations on the Snake and Columbia Rivers.

Parties ask the Court to extend the litigation stay through August 31, 2023.

A press release from U.S. federal agencies committing to take action on Columbia River Basin fisheries.

Commitments outlined by the U.S. government supporting development of a durable long-term strategy to restore salmon and other native fish populations to healthy and abundant levels, honoring Federal commitments to Tribal Nations, delivering affordable and reliable clean power, and meeting the many resilience needs of stakeholders across the Columbia River Basin region.

Federal agencies agree to stop-gap measures for dam operations in 2022

Federal agencies agree to stop-gap measures for dam operations in 2022

Groups file injunction request for stop-gap measure to aid struggling salmon, steelhead

The long legal battle continues after latest federal plan fails to restore endangered salmon