Oregon — President Donald J. Trump has revoked a 2023 policy that sought to restore salmon and other native fish in the Columbia River Basin, sparking renewed legal action from Oregon.
In a memorandum issued June 12, 2025, Trump rescinded the Biden administration’s “Restoring Healthy and Abundant Salmon, Steelhead, and Other Native Fish Populations” directive and withdrew the federal government from a December 2023 agreement with Northwest tribes and states. The order also directed agencies to halt work on a supplemental environmental review of Columbia River System operations and to rework plans under updated National Environmental Policy Act regulations. Read the memorandum here.
The Trump administration said the changes were needed to safeguard hydropower production and energy security in the region. The prior agreement had considered breaching four Lower Snake River dams, a move officials said would have eliminated “over 3,000 megawatts of secure, reliable, and affordable hydroelectric generating capacity.”
“This administration will not stand by while American energy is threatened. We are fiercely committed to keeping energy affordable, reliable, and made in America,” said Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. Read more reactions here.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright called the decision a return to “common sense,” while Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said it would “redefine how we safeguard our environment.” Lawmakers, agricultural groups, and some tribes also expressed support for preserving dams and hydroelectric power.
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield responded by renewing litigation against the federal government, arguing the reversal abandons commitments to salmon recovery and tribal treaty obligations.
“The Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement was a historic opportunity to restore salmon populations, uphold commitments to sovereign tribal nations, and meet our region’s clean energy demands,” Rayfield said. “By walking away, the federal government has put salmon and steelhead on the brink of extinction… Extinction is not an option.” Read the full statement here.
Oregon is seeking an injunction to compel changes in federal hydropower operations to protect fish, particularly during next spring’s migration season.
The legal fight stems from the Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement, a 2023 deal between the federal government, Oregon, Washington, and four Northwest tribes: the Yakama, Umatilla, Warm Springs, and Nez Perce. The agreement was designed to avoid years of litigation, invest roughly $1 billion over a decade in fish recovery, and modernize energy systems. View the announcement.
The Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative outlined strategies to restore wild salmon and steelhead, meet treaty commitments, and expand renewable energy resources while ensuring regional energy stability. Read the presentation.
Trump’s directive has reignited decades of debate over how to balance hydropower, tribal treaty rights, and salmon recovery in the Pacific Northwest. The decision halts consideration of dam breaching and reshapes federal policy toward maximizing energy production, while Oregon’s lawsuit aims to restore the commitments made under the 2023 agreement.
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