The Trump administration announced an indefinite delay Friday for its review into how dams on the Columbia River system could be operated to benefit endangered salmon and steelhead populations, citing looming changes to how executive branch agencies implement the National Environmental Policy Act.
The Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation announced the postponement — but did not issue a new deadline — in a joint statement. In early February, the agencies announced a two-month extension for the review of 14 dams and had been scheduled to hold public meetings next week.
The agencies pointed to the President Donald Trump’s decision to rescind more than 50 years’ worth of White House Council on Environmental Quality regulations in February, when he announced the office would no longer determine how agencies conduct NEPA reviews.
CEQ issued an interim final rule in February and its rulemaking authority for NEPA will end on April 11.
