Shifting currents in salmon situation

The change from the Biden to the Trump administration is primed to alter the trajectory of salmon recovery in the Snake and Columbia river basins.

The effort to save the threatened and endangered fish through breaching one or more of the four dams on the lower Snake River was elevated to unprecedented levels during Joe Biden’s time in the White House.

His administration inked a deal that paused salmon-and-dam litigation in exchange for helping the Nez Perce and other tribes develop renewable energy. The agreement commits hundreds of millions of dollars to salmon recovery and calls for studies to identify the best ways to replace the transportation and irrigation services now provided by the dams.

Snake River salmon and steelhead returns once numbered in the millions but declined dramatically following construction of eight dams between Lewiston and the Pacific Ocean. Most returning adult fish are now from hatcheries, and wild spring chinook, steelhead, sockeye and fall chinook are all protected by the Endangered Species Act.

Many salmon advocates and scientists view dam breaching as the best and likely only way to recover the wild fish. But dam removal would end the use of the lower Snake River as a shipping channel between Lewiston and the Tri-Cities in Washington, reduce the amount of low-carbon energy produced by the federal hydroelectric system and make irrigation more expensive for farmers near Ice Harbor Dam.

Donald Trump said little if anything publicly about salmon and steelhead during his recent successful campaign for the presidency or during his first term. But he has spoken out against wind and solar power, two sources of alternative energy seen as important to replacing power generated at Snake River dams if they were to be breached. Nor is he viewed as an environmental champion.

Aside from Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson, many Republicans who may have the returning president’s ear bitterly oppose dam breaching, including the rest of Idaho’s Congressional delegation: Dan Newhouse of central Washington, Rep. Cliff Bentz of Oregon and Rep. Michael Baumgartner, who will replace Cathy McMorris Rodgers representing eastern Washington. With the GOP in control of both the House and Senate, they have more power to pass pro-dam legislation.

Newhouse expects it to pay dividends.

“The trifecta from this election is a big win for the lower Snake River dams,” he said in a statement to the Tribune. “This administration is coming in focused on energy dominance, and hydropower plays a huge role in boosting domestic production and keeping prices low for ratepayers. This is something we have been working on in depth, and I am looking forward to putting policies in place that keep our dams safe and strong.”

Dam supporters said they are eager to work with Trump and his administration to ensure the litigation agreement reached under Biden is implemented fairly and that the importance of the hydrosystem in providing affordable and reliable electricity is recognized. Clark Mather, executive director of Northwest River Partners, noted inflation and the high costs of goods and services played a pivotal role in the election.

“We hope we can work with the Trump administration and with our congressional delegation on an ongoing basis to take a very balanced approach to hydropower that respects how important and affordable it is across the region,” he said.

In particular, Mather wants to ensure the Bonneville Power Administration’s financial obligations under the agreement are capped at $300 million over the next decade.

It’s possible Trump could seek to kill the agreement. That would likely mean a return to the courtroom, said Amanda Goodin, an attorney with the environmental law firm EarthJustice.

“They would miss an opportunity to do some critically needed restoration that benefits red and blue districts,” she said. “But if they back away, announce they are rejecting it, I think we will be considering every option available to see what we can do to save these fish.”

Salmon advocates were disappointed by the election results but have pledged to keep working to save the fish. Shannon Wheeler, chairperson of the Nez Perce Tribe, and Kayeloni Scott, the tribe’s former spokesperson and now director of the Columbia-Snake River Campaign, talked about the coming change in administrations during a Zoom meeting with supporters of the Salmon and Orca Campaign last week. Scott noted salmon are still at risk of extinction and continuing to build relationships will be key to saving them.

“I was brought up in a home where if you tripped and fell, they said, ‘Get up, you’re all right,’” she said. “And so I felt like I tripped and I fell, and maybe I skinned my knee, but I had to get back up. We’ve got to keep going. I think it’s important to see that there is a barrier, but there’s also an opportunity to find solutions, and that’s what we need to focus on.”

Wheeler urged salmon advocates disappointed about the election to discard any negative baggage and continue to work. He said the obligations and goals of the tribe and other salmon advocates haven’t changed even if the election made fulfilling them more difficult. He likened the fight to nearing the end zone in football.

“It gets tough in the red zone,” he said. “People toughen up. Interests toughen up and that’s OK because we’re tough too.”

In a phone interview, Trout Unlimited President Chris Wood said instead of fighting, salmon advocates need to work with the new administration to educate Trump officials on the issue.

“Our job as conservationists is to help the Trump administration and all the people they put in the relevant positions, to make them understand they could be heroes if they take the steps necessary to recover salmon and steelhead in the Snake River Basin,” he said. “I would say the same thing if a Democrat was elected.”

Barker may be contacted at ebarker@lmtribune.com.