Murray, Cantwell Joint Statement on Biden Administration Announcement of an Interim Agreement and Request for Stay of Litigation in Columbia River Basin Case

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) released the following joint statement regarding the Biden Administration announcement of an interim agreement and request for a stay of the ongoing Federal Columbia River Power System litigation to improve conditions for salmon and steelhead populations in the region.

“We commend all parties for coming to an agreement on short term mitigation and agreeing to explore solutions in an expeditious manner as we work to save the salmon in the Pacific Northwest. With climate change altering water cycles and ecosystems, we need regionally-driven solutions to safeguard the health and prosperity of the Columbia River Basin and the Pacific Northwest’s environment and economy. We welcome this effort and its focus on the needs of Washington today and in the future,” the senators said.The full announcement from the U.S. Department of the Interior is available HERE.