Salmon Planning Act

H.R. 2573, the Salmon Planning Act, would have established a formal process to determine if removing four federal dams on the lower Snake River is necessary to protect endangered salmon and steelhead populations. The bill directed the National Academy of Sciences to review existing recovery plans and required federal agencies to decide if dam removal was required to meet environmental laws and tribal treaty obligations. If those agencies determined that the dams were a primary obstacle to fish recovery, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers would have been authorized to begin the engineering and construction work necessary to remove them.

For citizens, the bill’s impact would have centered on the long-term management of the Pacific Northwest’s natural resources, potentially altering the region's hydroelectric power production, river navigation, and irrigation systems in exchange for restored fish populations. While the bill aimed to prevent the extinction of iconic salmon species and uphold legal commitments to Native American tribes, it would have also triggered significant economic and infrastructure changes for communities relying on the Snake River dams. Ultimately, the bill did not move past the committee stage and did not become law.