THE COLUMBIA BASIN RESTORATION INITIATIVE

The Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative (CBRI) is a bold, science-backed, tribally-led roadmap to restore the Columbia and Snake River ecosystems. 

WHAT IS THE CBRI?

Developed by the Six Sovereigns, the Nez Perce, Yakama, Warm Springs, and Umatilla Tribes, and the states of Washington and Oregon — the CBRI lays out a straightforward strategy to restore salmon and steelhead to harvestable levels, uphold Tribal treaty rights, replace the services of the Lower Snake River dams, and build a resilient, equitable future for the
Columbia Basin.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

  • The LSRD era was built by breaking promises to Tribal people. Breaching these dams is a step toward healing — restoring access to ancestral fishing, hunting, and ceremonial grounds, and securing the fish runs guaranteed by treaty.

    By restoring free-flowing rivers, we can revitalize salmon populations, restore natural habitats, and mitigate the impacts of climate change on aquatic ecosystems.

  • Breaching would unlock over 140 miles of prime spawning habitat and increase Chinook returns — a lifeline not just for salmon, but for the critically endangered Southern Resident orca who rely on them for food .

  • Rebuilding salmon runs means revitalized economies — coastal jobs, inland fisheries, tourism, recreation, and ecosystem services worth over a billion dollars annually.

While the CBRI had the full backing of the Biden administration, including a Presidential Memorandum directing federal agencies to implement its goals, President Trump and his allies are now attacking the initiative as “radical environmentalism.” His administration greenlit 2020 hydrosystem operations that rolled back ESA protections and issued a Record of Decision that ignored tribal input and scientific consensus.

The Trump-era strategy favored status quo dam operations, maintaining the very hydrosystem that has pushed salmon toward extinction and ignored the Treaty responsibilities the U.S. government is legally bound to uphold. His policies directly contradicted tribal sovereignty, undermined science-based management, and prioritized short-term political gain over ecological and cultural survival.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S OPPOSITION

THE COLUMBIA BASIN RESTORATION INITIATIVE

The CBRI is our opportunity to leave behind a legacy of extinction, litigation, and gridlock — and instead build a future that sustains life in all its forms. It is the most comprehensive, realistic, and just strategy ever advanced for Columbia Basin restoration.

Join us in demanding full implementation of the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative.

HOW TO TAKE ACTION:

STEP 1: Submit a comment using the form provided below.

STEP 2: Spread the word!

Use the messaging provided below to post on social media, email friends and family, or speak to people in your community. Whether you're an environmental advocate, community member or simply care about protecting our shared ecosystems, your voice matters.

KEY MESSAGING:

Thank BOR and Ecology for their work—this is the most extensive study of its kind.

Emphasize that water supply concerns are solvable. We can have both salmon recovery and agricultural resilience.

Call for immediate investments in water supply infrastructure.

Urge decision-makers to align with the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative (CBRI) and Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement (RCBA).

SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS

Please use the form below to send an email to your congressmembers.