Tuesday October 1, 2024
KOIN —
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek signed an executive order aiming to help restore the Columbia Basin and fisheries in the Columbia and Snake rivers, the governor’s office announced Monday.
The executive order, signed Sept. 27, directs a handful of state agencies — including the Department of Fish & Wildlife, Department of Energy, and the Department of Transportation — to “take all actions necessary” to meet goals under the 2023 Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative.
The initiative was developed between Oregon, Washington, and the “Six Sovereigns,” which includes the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs, the Confederated Tribes of the Yakama Nation, and the Nez Perce Tribe.
The executive order includes several provisions, which will also help meet goals in the 2023 Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement under the Biden Administration — which prioritizes developing clean and affordable replacement power for the region before considering removal of the Snake River dams.