The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service will have three online listening sessions on the fate of the four lower Snake River dams.

The first is at 10 a.m. Pacific time Friday, March 31, and will last two hours.

The two other sessions are April 3 and May 25. Both will begin at 10 a.m.

Register for the listening sessions

To sign up for the listening sessions on the lower Snake River dams, click here. 

The sessions will allow federal agencies and stakeholders to hear from the public about their concerns.

The dams have long been the target of environmental groups, which say they must be removed to benefit salmon recovery.

Farmers say they support salmon recovery, but want a solution that will benefit all stakeholders. They depend on the dams to transport crops via barge, provide irrigation water and generate clean electricity for the region.

Agricultural advocates say removing the dams would have devastating impacts on the economy and the environment. The industry would have to turn to trucks or railroads instead of using barges.

Removing the dams would also impact food security due to the loss of crop production and electricity reliability and cost.

“There is strong community interest in finding a long-term, durable plan that represents a comprehensive solution to many of the issues faced by the Columbia River Basin, its people, its habitat, and its many native species,” the mediation service said in a press release. “These public listening sessions will inform the ongoing confidential mediation process.”

Three-minute speaking slots will be available to the public on a first come, first served basis.

“Due to an overwhelming response,” the March 31 session has already exceeded the number of speaking slots. The service has disabled the ability to sign up for further speaking slots for that session.