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Tribes, States Seek to Reopen Lawsuit Over Pacific Northwest Dams by Jennifer Yachnin Greenwire, September 12, 2025

President Donald Trump has exited a $1 billion settlement deal
in opposition to future possible dam removals on the Lower Snake River.

Pacific Northwest states, tribal nations and environmentalists have asked a federal judge to restart a long-running legal battle over hydropower dams following President Donald Trump's abandonment of a major settlement deal this summer.

The Trump administration in June voided the $1 billion "Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement," derailing efforts to breach a series of four dams widely viewed as impediments to the survival of imperiled salmon and steelhead trout populations.

In a motion filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon, the National Wildlife Federation along with the settlement's co-signers -- the Nez Perce, Yakama, Warm Springs and Umatilla tribal nations and the states of Oregon and Washington -- asked Judge Michael Simon to reopen the lawsuit.

Proponents of breaching the structures in the Lower Snake River -- the Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose and Lower Granite dams -- argue that removing the dams is necessary to lower water temperatures for fish. While the settlement agreed to by the Biden administration laid the groundwork for potentially removing those dams, any final decision would have been in the hands of Congress, where many Republican lawmakers oppose the idea. . . .

Related Pages:
Republicans Praise Bill Blocking Snake River Dam Research by Jennifer Yachnin, E&E News, 9/4/25
Trump Topples $1 Billion Columbia River Settlement Deal by Jennifer Yachnin, Greenwire, 6/12/25
Interior Casts Critical Eye on Columbia River Dams by Jennifer Yachnin, Greenwire, 6/20/24
NOAA: Breaching Snake River Dams 'Essential' to Save Salmon by Jennifer Yachnin, Greenwire, 7/12/22
Washington Punts on Fate of Lower Snake River Dams by Jeremy P. Jacobs, Greenwire, 12/23/19

H. R. 2073

To prohibit the use of Federal funds to allow or study the breach or alteration of the Lower Snake River dams, and for other purposes.

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 11, 2025

Mr. Newhouse (for himself, Mr. Baumgartner, Mr. Fulcher, and Mr. Bentz) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

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A BILL

To prohibit the use of Federal funds to allow or study the breach or alteration of the Lower Snake River dams, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the "Defending our Dams Act".

SEC. 2. LOWER SNAKE RIVER DAMS.

1. Prohibition on Use of Federal Funds.--No Federal funds may be used to allow, lead to, or study the breach or functional alteration of, including study of power, flood control, or navigation replacement of, or provide dam removal technical assistance for, the Lower Snake River dams.
2. Prohibition on Spillage Operations.--
   1. In general.--The Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, may not carry out any spillage operations on any of the Lower Snake River dams unless such operations are approved by the Secretary and the Administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration.
   2. Considerations.--In determining whether to approve spillage operations under paragraph (1), the Secretary and the Administrator shall consider all Columbia River System operations.
3. Definition.--In this section, the term "Lower Snake River dams" means the following dams in the State of Washington, authorized by section 2 of the Act of March 2, 1945 (chapter 19, 59 Stat. 21):
   1. Ice Harbor Dam.
   2. Lower Monumental Dam.
   3. Little Goose Dam.
   4. Lower Granite Dam.