As the new year gets going, we are now entering a critical new phase in the campaign to restore a free-flowing lower Snake River and its endangered wild salmon and steelhead. As you may recall, after lengthy negotiations between the 'Six Sovereigns' (Umatilla, Warm Springs, Yakima, and Nez Perce Tribes; and the states of Washington and Oregon) and the federal government, the Biden Administration released on Dec. 14 a road-map to recover Columbia Basin fish that includes next steps to remove the lower Snake River dams and replace their services.
This plan prioritizes big investments in the Northwest’s economy, communities, and lands and waters to move everyone forward together. This historic agreement will direct hundreds of millions of dollars to modernize infrastructure and protect and restore native fish and their habitats in the Snake and Columbia rivers. Planning has already begun, with the goal of implementing key projects - including a set of Tribal-led projects - to replace the energy, irrigation and transportation services currently provided by the lower Snake River dams as quickly as possible.
This is a critical step forward and it is vital that together we begin to envision a Pacific Northwest with a restored, resilient, freely flowing lower Snake River, healthy fish populations and thriving communities.
In recognition of this historic pivot, we are excited to announce the return of the 'Snake River Dinner Hour' webinar series for 2024! The 'Snake River Dinner Hour' is a space for folks to come together and learn more about where we’ve come and what’s ahead, and participate in civil dialogue as we each bring different opinions and perspectives to the table. All are welcome!
Mark your calendars and join us from 6:00-7:00 pm PST on the second Tuesday of the month:
Join the May 14 webinar on Zoom!
Snake River Dinner Hour is brought to you by American Rivers, Washington Conservation Action, Idaho Conservation League, Sierra Club, and Save Our wild Salmon.
