Wednesday November 1, 2023
The Seattle Times —
Dam removal on the Lower Snake River is still on the table as talks continue over salmon survival and the operation of dams in the Columbia Basin.
After two years of settlement talks, the federal government, tribes, renewable-energy groups, conservationists and other parties will soon begin discussing a series of proposals for the river and the salmon that are struggling to survive there.
A stay on litigation in federal court over dam operations on the Snake and Columbia rivers was set to expire Tuesday, but parties agreed on an additional 45-day pause. If conversations go well, they could present a plan before the court and seek a yearslong stay. If it falls apart, the parties could return the fight to the courtroom.
The benefits of low-cost hydropower, irrigation and transportation on the Lower Snake River and the survival of salmon at risk of extinction are at stake.