With Snake River spring, summer Chinook on a ‘quasi-extinction threshold,’ NW tribes call for dam...

Tribes across the Northwest are calling for immediate action to remove the four Lower Snake River dams. During a two-day salmon and orca summit in Western Washington last week, the group called on President Biden and congressional members to “take bold action, now.”

Many tribal leaders placed support behind Idaho Republican Congressman Mike Simpson’s broad concept to breach the dams while still finding ways to support the resulting holes in industries like energy development and agricultural irrigation.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee spoke on the second day of the conference, connected virtually from off site. He continued to call for more talks on how to move forward – at one point jumping in to tell Suquamish Chairman Leonard Forsman, “We should have daily discussions.”