President Trump Issues Executive Order Undoing Columbia River MOU

Helena, MT–June 12, 2025— President Trump issued an executive order today that is expected to reverse the efforts of the Biden Administration to breach the lower Snake River dams in southeast Washington by undoing the Columbia River MOU, which mandates operational changes at the dams to justify breaching. MECA CEO Gary Wiens expressed his strong support for the order, “More than 200,000 Western Montana electric co-op members stood to lose access to the affordable, reliable, carbon-free electricity provided by the lower Snake River dams because of the Columbia River MOU. Montana’s co-ops are grateful to President Trump for taking action to reverse it.”

Montana’s congressional delegation, Governor and state legislature have all taken strong positions and actions against the MOU and dam breaching.

The Montana Electric Cooperatives’ Association toured two of the dams to investigate the effects of operational changes called for in the MOU and learned they dramatically reduced power generation and harmed the fish populations they were supposed to protect, available here: https://www.mtco-ops.com/lower-snake-river-dam-series/

President Trump’s Executive Order directs the agreement previously reached between the federal government, states of Oregon and Washington and four Pacific Northwest tribal nations be invalidated. The agreement settled litigation over management of the Columbia River Basin and required operational changes and expenditures intended to reduce power production and benefit fish recovery.

Press Release via MECA