Tuesday May 28, 2024
Seafood Source —
Agroup of lawmakers from the U.S. Pacific Northwest have introduced a package of nine bills to block the federal government from potentially removing four dams in the Lower Snake River.
U.S. President Joe Biden has made the restoration of salmon to the Columbia River basin a major focus of his administration. In 2023, the president signed a memorandum prioritizing fish restoration in the region, signed new salmon restoration agreements with area tribes, and directed Inflation Reduction Act funding to address deferred maintenance and upgrades. In December, the administration announced an agreement with Pacific Northwest tribes and states to restore wild salmon populations, which together with other actions would bring USD 1 billion (EUR 923 million) in federal investment to the region.
While the plan does not directly call for the removal of the four Lower Snake River dams, the White House noted that “investments under this agreement will help to ensure continued energy reliability and affordability, transportation, recreation, irrigation, and other key services, including in the event that Congress decides to authorize breaching of the four Lower Snake River dams.”