WAWG
The Inland Ports and Navigation Group (IPNG) opposes emergency motions filed by the National Wildlife Federation and the State of Oregon (plaintiffs) that seek to require increased spill and significantly alter reservoir operations at eight dams on the Columbia and Lower Snake Rivers.
In its response filed with the U.S. District Court of Oregon, IPNG explained that the science shows that the plaintiffs’ requested measures will have negligible benefits to fish populations while increasing risks to navigation safety and river system reliability. IPNG noted that the plaintiffs have not demonstrated that the requested measures are supported by sound science or that they are necessary to prevent irreparable harm to salmon or steelhead populations. The filing further outlines that the 2020 Columbia River System Operations Biological Opinion measures are already avoiding irreparable harm to listed salmon and steelhead and are consistent with the Endangered Species Act. The plaintiffs ignore the increasing abundance trends of listed salmon and steelhead over recent decades and have not met the high legal threshold required for preliminary injunctive relief.
IPNG also emphasized that current federal operations already include substantial spill, adaptive management tools, and navigation-safety measures developed through years of collaboration. The plaintiffs’ proposal would replace this flexible framework with rigid operational mandates that increase risk without meaningfully improving conditions for fish.
IPNG will continue to participate as a defendant-intervenor in support of the 2020 Biological Opinion and will continue advocating for balanced, science-based solutions that protect salmon and steelhead while ensuring safe navigation and sustaining the economic vitality of the Columbia–Snake River System.