Federal agency officials, the governors of Washington and Oregon, and the leaders of four tribes on Friday gathered at the White House Friday for a ceremonial signing of a $1 billion agreement meant to halt salmon declines in the Columbia and Snake River system.
Stakeholders say it s unlikely that ongoing federal mediation in a lawsuit over the Snake River dams, slated to end Oct. 31, will result in breaching following President Biden s directives to study and support wild salmon through the Columbia River.
"The battle isn t over," said Leslie Druffel, co-chair of the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association s Inland Navigation and Ports Groups, an intervenor defendant in the litigation "We all want fish, and I know we can get there. It s going to take a Basin-wide approach, and a holistic view of all the different aspects the fish encounter throughout their life span."
The Washington State Department of Transportation says it will rebuild the Winona train trestle, destroyed by a wildfire Aug. 18, as quickly as possible to restore service for grain and fertilizer companies that rely on the rail line.
Fourth emergency rail closure in four years eastoregonian.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from eastoregonian.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Northwest intervenor defendants in federal mediation in Snake River dam litigation say they ve been shut out of the process for months. As the mediation concludes Aug. 31, "I am not at all optimistic that the outcome will be positive for the region," said Kurt Miller, executive director for Northwest RiverPartners.
"It’s this lack of communication within the mediation that is maddening," said Leslie Druffel, co-chair of the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association s Inland Ports and Navigation Group.