the film forum library tutorial contact

US Lawmakers Debate Future of Lower Snake River Dams and Salmon Recovery in the Pacific Northwest by Nathan Strout Seafood Source, September 10, 2025

President Trump has reversed course,
undoing much of his predecessor's work

A bill from a Republican U.S. lawmaker that would block the federal government from removing four dams on the Lower Snake River has renewed debate in Congress over the future of salmon recovery in the Pacific Northwest.

"I have been working hard with allies of the Lower Snake River dams to ensure we do everything possible to protect them, and this hearing today marks another success in that effort. This legislation guarantees that federal funds will not be used to breach, or even study breaching, the dams and protects the Army Corps and [the Bonneville Power Administration's] rights to control spillage operations," U.S. Representative Dan Newhouse (R-Washington) -- the sponsor of the bill -- said in a release.

Former U.S. President Joe Biden made restoring Columbia River Basin salmon populations a priority during his administration, but U.S. President Donald Trump has reversed course, undoing much of his predecessor's work to collaborate with state and Tribal governments on the issue.

The U.S. substantially boosted funding for Pacific salmon recovery under Biden's watch, with his two signature pieces of legislation -- the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) -- including vast increases in money for NOAA Fisheries' Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund (PCSRF). In 2023, Biden signed a memorandum prioritizing fish restoration in the Columbia River Basin and announced the Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement -- a settlement with Pacific Northwest Tribes and state governments on restoring wild salmon populations.

That agreement also called for energy investments to offset the potential removal of four Lower Snake River dams, which Tribal governments and conservationists claim hinder the recovery of salmon in the region. A 2020 federal draft report found that removing the dams would benefit endangered salmon populations but would have negative impacts on the region's power supply and costs.

. . .