BEND, Ore. — Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek signed an executive order Monday directing state agencies to “take all actions necessary” to work cooperatively and fulfill the state’s commitments to a federal program to promote healthy fish populations in the Columbia Basin.

The federal program, known as the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative and introduced by the Biden administration, will invest more than $1 billion for wild fish restoration over the next decade in the Columbia River and its tributaries, including the Deschutes River.

The initiative — a partnership between sovereign tribal nations and the states of Oregon and Washington — suspends legal action against the federal government by tribes for damage caused to fish populations by dams on the Columbia River system.

Halting the litigation was part of a settlement announced in December 2023 by the White House. Provisions in the settlement are geared toward the eventual removal of four dams on the Snake River.

Reversing declines

The litigation was part of an effort to reverse decades of declining numbers in the Columbia Basin caused by the blockage of rivers by the massive hydroelectric dams installed on area rivers during the 20th century. But environmentalists warn that removing dams is only part of the solution as other factors are also reducing fish populations, including pollution and the warming ocean caused by climate change.

In addition to Oregon and Washington, other partners include the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of the Yakama Nation and the Nez Perce Tribes.

Kotek says her directive is designed to uphold the state’s environmental commitments while also positioning Oregon for economic growth.

The directive also seeks to help tribes expand clean energy production, and provide stability for communities on the river system, Kotek said in the statement. She adds that reliable and affordable replacement energy for the region is needed before the Snake River dams can be considered for removal.

To kick-start action on these goals, Kotek directed relevant state agencies, the federal government and the tribes to meet twice annually to review and coordinate their work. Agencies will be required to report progress annually to their boards.

Warm Springs response

Jonathan Smith, chairman of the Warm Springs Tribal Council, said in a statement that he values Kotek’s effort to push agencies into action.

The Deschutes River runs past the Warm Springs Reservation, and the tribes control half of the Pelton Round Butte dam complex, which provides power to tens of thousands of homes but also presents a challenge to fish swimming up and down the river.

The tribes and Portland General Electric utilize a system, the Selective Water Withdrawal tower, that allows fish to move past the dams, but the number of fish that make it upstream remains below pre-dam levels. The hope is that the massive injection of federal dollars to improve conditions for fish throughout the Columbia Basin will lead to higher numbers of fish in the Deschutes.

Smith said the governor’s order is a step toward restoring salmon and native fish to healthy and abundant levels, while also meeting climate goals and modernizing infrastructure.

“We look forward to continued collaboration with the state on that front as we also develop and grow our leadership as a socially just energy leader,” said Smith.