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Editorials Northwest RiverPartners’ Statement on Columbia River System Operations Ruling
Vancouver, Washington–February 27, 2026– Northwest RiverPartners and our coalition of utilities, ports, and community organizations continues to urge regional leaders to convene a collaborative, science-based process to protect and support Columbia River salmon populations and…
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Editorials “Collaboration Over Litigation” Encouraged as February 6 U.S. District Court Date Looms for Future Columbia River System Operations
A diverse coalition representing millions of electric customers, businesses, farmers, river operators, and workers prepares to vigorously support the Northwest’s hydropower system in federal court, while renewing calls for regional leaders to join them in…
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Editorials Pacific Northwest residents worried about electricity costs more than climate change, according to recent polling
New survey shows people concerned about rising energy costs and strongly support our region’s hydroelectric system Vancouver, Washington–December 8, 2025–Pacific Northwest residents are feeling the pressure of rising energy costs, according to recent opinion polling…
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Editorials Court proposals by plaintiffs would drive up electricity prices, increase blackout risk for millions of people in the Pacific Northwest
Northwest RiverPartners urges regional leaders to reject renewed litigation and work together to protect salmon and maintain affordable, reliable hydropower Vancouver, Washington–October 14, 2025–Proposals by plaintiffs, including the State of Oregon, will increase electricity costs…
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Editorials Flawed 2023 Columbia Basin Settlement Agreement withdrawn, opening door for sustainable solutions
Northwest RiverPartners calls for transparency and clear commitment to clean, reliable energy that supports residents, businesses and the environment Vancouver, Washington–June 12, 2025–The Trump Administration announced today it would withdraw from the 2023 Federal Columbia…
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Editorials Victor Valerio joins Northwest RiverPartners as Outreach & Research Manager
Vancouver, Washington–April 28, 2025–Northwest RiverPartners selected Victor Valerio as its first Outreach & Research Manager. Victor will start with NW RiverPartners on April 28, 2025. Prior to joining NW RiverPartners, Victor served as the Southern…
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Editorials Pacific Northwest residents maintain strong support for hydropower, recent polling shows
Vancouver, Washington–February 3, 2025–Public support for hydropower remains high across the Pacific Northwest, according to new community research commissioned by Northwest RiverPartners. The October 2024 survey, administered by research firm DHM, found that three in…
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Editorials New Studies Will Test Flexibility of “Simpson Concept” for Salmon & Dams
Last month, US Representative Mike Simpson (R – Idaho) surprised many Northwesterners when he announced a $33.5 billion concept to breach… Read the full article: New Studies Will Test Flexibility of “Simpson Concept” for Salmon…
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Editorials Northwest RiverPartners Names Austin Rohr Deputy Executive Director
Vancouver, Washington–November 18, 2024–Northwest RiverPartners has selected Austin Rohr as its first deputy executive director. Rohr has been with Northwest RiverPartners since May 2019, serving as the media and communications manager. “Austin earned this critical…
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Editorials Misinformation Undermines Bipartisan Efforts To Protect Millions of Northwest Energy Customers From Rising Costs
Vancouver, Washington–August 20, 2024–Northwest RiverPartners, alongside a broad coalition of Pacific Northwest-based organizations representing millions of hardworking people in the Northwest, developed bipartisan legislation to maintain the federal government’s commitment for the Bonneville Power Administration…
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Editorials U.S. House Acts To Protect Millions of Northwest Ratepayers
U.S. House Committee Takes First Step to Cap Customer Costs, Keep Federal Commitments in “12/14 Agreement” Vancouver, Washington–June 28, 2024–Today, members of the House Appropriations Subcommittee for Energy and Water passed legislation that caps the…
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Editorials Statement From Northwest RiverPartners on Establishment of Columbia River Task Force, Report From Interior Department
Vancouver, Washington–June 18, 2024–Today, Northwest RiverPartners released the following statement in response to the Biden Administration’s creation of a new interagency Columbia River Task Force and a report released by the Department of the Interior…
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Editorials Clark Mather Selected As Northwest RiverPartners’ Next Executive Director
The Northwest RiverPartners Board of Directors has selected Clark Mather as the association’s next executive director. Mather will officially take over leadership responsibilities on April 1. Heather Stebbings, who has served as interim executive director…
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Editorials Agreement Threatening Northwest Clean Power Moves Forward Despite Objections
Uncertainty for public utility customers remains a significant concern The risks related to the future of Columbia River System Operations (CRSO) remain high as the US District Court of Oregon accepted an agreement negotiated in…
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Editorials Secret Agreement Between US Government & Anti-Hydro Plaintiff Groups Ignores the Public and Invites More Litigation
The US Government Commitments were drafted in the shadows, rely on salmon recovery reports drafted by plaintiffs, ignore climate change, and will only invite more litigation and uncertainty. Vancouver, Washington–December 14, 2023–Today, despite public concern,…
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Editorials Secret Agreement Between US Government & Anti-Hydro Plaintiff Groups Represents “Greatest Threat” for the Region
Proposed US Government Commitments undermine clean energy and climate goals, negatively impact the region’s economy and food production, raise electricity rates on struggling families, fail to address climate-friendly transportation, and threaten grid reliability Vancouver, Washington–November…
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Editorials Salmon vs. Dams Suit Stays on Pause Until December 15
Parties to the long-running salmon versus dams lawsuit on the Snake and Columbia rivers have reached a tentative but still confidential agreement of sorts that could lead to a multi-year timeout in litigation. Read the…
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Editorials New Secret Plan Proposed in Snake River Dam Lawsuit
The U.S. government and plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the management of the 4 lower Snake River dams say they have developed a “package of actions and commitments” that they hope to present in court…
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Editorials Lower Snake River Dam Removal Still Possible As Talks Continue
Read the full article: Lower Snake River Dam Removal Still Possible As Talks Continue
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Editorials Statement From Northwest RiverPartners on Latest Legal Delay
Today, the United States Government announced that it would be producing for comment a draft package of “actions and commitments” that it developed in secret with plaintiffs’ groups. We have been provided with no other…
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Editorials Stebbings Named Northwest River Partners Interim Executive Director
Northwest River Partners has named Heather Stebbings its interim executive director until a permanent replacement for the departing Kurt Miller is found. Read the full article: Stebbings Named Northwest River Partners Interim Executive Director
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Editorials Northwest RiverPartners Names Interim Executive Director
Stebbings will manage transition to organization’s next leader Vancouver, Washington–October 24, 2023– Northwest RiverPartners today announces Heather Stebbings as interim executive director starting November 15th. Stebbings will overlap with outgoing Executive Director Kurt Miller to…
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Editorials Kurt Miller To Depart Northwest RiverPartners, Board Forming Hiring Committee
Northwest RiverPartners’ Executive Director Kurt Miller has been selected as the new Executive Director of the Northwest Public Power Association, based in Vancouver, Washington. NWPPA provides value-added services, such as training, conferences, communications, and government…
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Editorials IBEW Electrical Union Backs Keeping Snake River Dams
At IBEW Local 77, we take pride in being the vibrant hub of skilled electrical workers, consistently driving progress and innovation in our field. Read the full article: IBEW Electrical Union Backs Keeping Snake River…
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Editorials Ag Stakeholders: Does Biden Salmon Announcement End Dam Breaching Worries?
Agricultural stakeholders predict federal mediation in a lawsuit over the four lower Snake River dams isn’t likely to lead to a call for breaching them. Read the full article: Ag Stakeholders: Does Biden Salmon Announcement…
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Editorials Major Announcement Means Bright Future for Salmon and Clean Energy
A salmon homecoming long in the making, and proof that tribes and not-for-profit utilities can work together collaboratively. That message was at the heart of the announcement between the U.S. Government, the Confederated Tribes of…
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Editorials Biden Administration Agrees With Northwest RiverPartners on Importance of Region’s Carbon-Free Electricity, Agriculture & Salmon
Vancouver, Washington—September 27, 2023—Today, after 13 months at the negotiating table, the Biden Administration shared the next step in the process of seeking solutions in balancing our region’s energy, climate, salmon recovery, resiliency, food security,…
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Editorials White House Launches Salmon Recovery Effort — Without Promising Dam Removal
President Joe Biden ordered federal agencies on Wednesday to use their power to help imperiled salmon and steelhead trout in the Columbia River and its tributaries, but he stopped far short of tribes’ and environmentalists’…
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Editorials ‘This Is Historic’: Biden Orders Whole-of-Government Effort To Restore Salmon in Columbia, Snake Rivers
President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed a landmark memorandum ordering federal agencies to do their part to restore salmon runs in the Columbia and Snake rivers and honor the U.S. government’s treaty obligations to Northwest…
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Editorials Biden Memo Calls for ‘Sustained National Effort’ To Restore Salmon Runs, but Doesn’t Advocate for Dam Breaching
President Joe Biden signed a memorandum this morning calling for a “sustained national effort” to honor commitments to the Nez Perce and other tribes by restoring Snake and Columbia river salmon and steelhead to healthy…
Contact: Aaron Toso, (253) 495-1296, Aaron Toso email
About Northwest RiverPartners
Northwest RiverPartners (NWRP) is a not-for-profit, member-driven organization. We represent not-for-profit, community-owned utilities across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Nevada. We also proudly represent farmers, ports, and businesses across the region that support clean energy and low-carbon transportation.
NWRP is focused on raising awareness about how the Northwest’s hydropower system betters communities and the natural environment, and we encourage science-based solutions that help hydropower and salmon coexist and thrive.