On June 12, 2025, President Donald Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from the Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement, a key initiative aimed at restoring salmon populations and promoting clean energy in the Pacific Northwest.

Critics of the withdrawal, including tribal leaders and environmentalists, expressed concern that it jeopardizes salmon populations and undermines years of collaborative conservation efforts.

Environmental groups expressed outrage, stating that Trump’s decision undermines years of progress and jeopardizes salmon populations vital to tribal health and regional ecosystems.

Senator Patty Murray criticized the cancellation, stating it undermines salmon recovery efforts and betrays the tribes involved in the agreement.

The Yakama Nation stated that revoking the deal contradicts Trump's commitment to domestic energy development and undermines tribal treaty rights.

The Biden-era funding was expected to inject over $1 billion into wild fish restoration and promote clean energy projects on tribal lands, including possible dam breaching to revive salmon populations.

Groups dependent on hydropower and irrigation, such as utilities and farmers, praised Trump's decision, emphasizing the importance of reliable energy resources.

Kurt Miller, CEO of the Northwest Public Power Association, praised Trump's withdrawal as necessary for energy reliability and affordability amid rising electricity demands.

Power producers and river users welcomed the decision, claiming they were excluded from negotiations that formed the original agreement and argued that the Lower Snake River Dams were essential for energy reliability.

Fishing and conservation groups expressed dismay, seeing the rollback as detrimental to the Northwest’s economy and conservation efforts.

Environmental advocates have pushed for the removal of these dams and have initiated lawsuits to alter dam operations to protect salmon, with Earthjustice leading the litigation efforts.

The controversy centers around four Snake River dams which provide hydropower and irrigation but have contributed to the decline of 13 salmon and steelhead populations, impacting both tribal sovereignty and local ecosystems.