Press Releases and Letters from Northwest NGOs

March 14, 2023 - Letter sent to President Biden Urging Him to Expand the U.S. Entity to Improve Governance and Outcomes

In March, a group of thirty Pacific Northwest-based organizations sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking his administration to take action to improve the governance of the U.S.-Canada Columbiar River Treaty via executive action.   Read the full letter

September 30, 2022 - Northwest Groups Host Webinar to Discuss the Road Map for Modernizing
the Columbia River Treaty to Avoid Ecosystem Collapse to be held on October 4, 2022

Seattle, Washington – Webinar on October 4, 2022:  Pacific Northwest-based organizations that sent a letter to the State Department and other federal agencies earlier this month urging the U.S. to overhaul the 1964 U.S.-Canada Columbia River Treaty are hosting a webinar: “Modernizing the Columbia River Treaty: Where do we go from here?”. The interactive webinar is open to the public and will focus on exploring the current state of Treaty negotiations and what the U.S. needs to do to modernize the treaty to avoid ecosystem collapse.   Read full release

September 14, 2022 - 32 Pacific Northwest Groups Urge U.S. to Take Action to Modernize the Columbia River Treaty to Avoid Ecosystem Collapse

Seattle, Washington – Today, 32 Pacific Northwest-based conservation, clean energy, faith, fishing, and civic organizations sent a letter to the State Department and other key federal agencies urging the U.S. to inform the region on efforts to overhaul the 1964 U.S.-Canada Columbia River Treaty (“Treaty”) and involve citizens and tribes in decisions about its future. While negotiations are confidential, the organizations note that Canada has maintained robust ongoing communication with its citizens and is working in full partnership with Indigenous nations. The U.S. Negotiating Team has not held a public meeting in over 2.5 years and provides only infrequent and minimal written updates.   Read full release