KENNEWICK, Wash.- Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Representative Dan Newhouse (R-WA) and the Colville Tribe respond to new Biden memorandum prioritizing salmon.
U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) has released the following statement regarding the Biden-Harris memorandum to prioritize restoration of salmon.
“I’m really glad President Biden and his administration are taking salmon recovery and Tribal treaty rights seriously and working from every angle to restore fish populations in the Columbia River Basin, while meeting the region’s resiliency needs. Salmon are absolutely essential for our environment, our economy, and Pacific Northwest Tribes—and ensuring we are making real federal investments in salmon recovery has long been a top priority for me. As Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I’m going to fight for the strongest possible investments to save our salmon.”
Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) released the following statement about the memorandum.
“While there may not be explicit recommendations to breach the Lower Snake River Dams in this memorandum, that is the goal of this Administration. This announcement is bureaucracy at its worst and the fact remains that these dams are vital to our economy, our efforts to reduce carbon emissions, and the ability to send our commodities overseas. The Columbia River Basin is one of our most valuable natural resources in the Pacific Northwest and I will continue to fight each and every day against this Administration’s efforts to breach these vital dams.”
The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation released a statement on the Presidential memorandum on September 28, in which The Chairman of the Colville Confederated Tribes, Jarred-Michael Erickson, said:
“This has been an extraordinary time for the future of salmon in the Upper Columbia. Starting with the signing of the P2IP on September 21, 2023, federal actions and funding commitments have marked a notable and positive turning point in the U.S. government’s trust responsibility to aid in restoring the Upper Columbia River, including its native fish. These federal actions confirm the great work being accomplished by the Colville Tribes’ Fish and Wildlife Department.”
