Contact: Jacqueline Koch, National Wildlife Federation, kochj@nwf.org, 206-687-8546

Legal Efforts Resume to Recover Imperiled Columbia Basin Salmon

Resumption of Litigation Follows Federal Government Withdrawal from Collaborative Settlement

SEATTLE (October 14, 2025) — Alongside the state of Oregon and conservation, renewable energy and fishing groups, the National Wildlife Federation is returning to court to ensure that endangered Columbia Basin wild salmon and steelhead have the water and other resources they need to survive and eventually recover. The filing is in response to the Trump Administration’s withdrawal from the historic Columbia Basin agreement.

“Fish biologists say Snake River salmon are running out of time. Oregon, Washington, and four Tribes came up with a good plan to save them but the federal government threw it out, so returning to court is the best tool we have left to prevent the collapse of these imperiled fish populations,” said Mike Leahy, senior director of wildlife, hunting and fishing policy for the National Wildlife Federation. “Salmon are central to the people, wildlife and ecosystem of the Northwest, and they are a national treasure. The federal government should be helping the Tribes and the states restore Snake River salmon for the generations to come."

The Columbia Basin agreement was a turning point for the Northwest. It provided a comprehensive roadmap to recover salmon, honor Tribal treaty rights, and restore healthy ecosystems while supporting a robust Pacific Northwest economy.

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