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Readers respond: Trump’s myopia in ending Columbia Basin pact
COLUMBIA BASIN, WASHINGTON AND OREGON, JUN 29 – The Trump Administration ended a 2023 pact aimed at salmon restoration and dam removal, citing rising energy demands from AI and cryptocurrency data centers, affecting treaty rights and regional fisheries.
- The Trump administration withdrew from a 2023 pact established by the Biden administration involving two states and four Indigenous nations, which aimed to revive salmon populations and facilitate the removal of four hydroelectric dams on the Lower Snake River.
- This decision followed decades of tribal litigation over treaty violations caused by the dams, which tribes say harm salmon and breach the 1855 treaty that granted fishing rights on ceded lands.
- The agreement had paused court actions and enabled salmon restoration plans while hydroelectric producers welcomed the termination, citing increased energy demand driven by AI and cryptocurrency data centers.
- Daniel Cordalis emphasized that tribal groups deserve consistent inclusion and representation in discussions affecting their interests, especially as utility expenses related to fish and wildlife protection account for about one-third of customer bills.
- The agreement's end will likely resume adversarial lawsuits, impede fish recovery efforts, and prioritize regional energy needs over treaty rights and salmon preservation in the Pacific Northwest.
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17 Articles
Trump shuts down fish restoration pact that took decades to build
·San Francisco, United States
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Salmon, tribal sovereignty and energy collide as Trump admin abandons Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement
Earlier this month, the Trump administration pulled the federal government out of the Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement — a deal struck in 2023 by the Biden administration between two states and four Indigenous nations aimed at restoring salmon populations and paving a way to remove four hydroelectric dams along the river system. The move is likely to revive decades-old lawsuits and further endanger already struggling salmon populations.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources17
Leaning Left3Leaning Right0Center9Last UpdatedBias Distribution75% Center
Bias Distribution
- 75% of the sources are Center
75% Center
L 25%
C 75%
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