Seattle City Light has agreed to spend nearly $1 billion to build fish passage at its three dams on the Skagit River, according to a KING 5 story posted late this morning. La Conner Community News has verified the accuracy story with multiple sources.
This is a developing story that we will update as new information becomes available.
According to KING 5: The agreement marks a dramatic reversal after years of insisting the dams did not harm salmon.
The $979 million commitment will fund systems to move salmon past the Ross, Diablo, and Gorge dams, reconnecting miles of historic habitat that has been blocked for nearly a century.
The agreement follows years of pressure and scientific challenges from regional agencies and Skagit Valley tribes, including the Upper Skagit, Sauk-Suiattle, Swinomish, and Lummi, who argued the dams contributed to salmon declines.
Tribal leaders called the settlement long-overdue recognition of historic harm to the river and its fish.
The broader environmental package tied to the dams’ federal relicensing could total $3.8 billion over 50 years, making it one of the largest environmental investments ever tied to a hydroelectric project in Washington.
Federal regulators must still approve the settlement.
Statement from the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community
The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community today announced the completion of a comprehensive settlement agreement (Agreement) with Seattle City Light and federal, state, and tribal partners related to the proposed new 50-year federal license for Seattle City Light’s three hydroelectric dams on the Skagit River.
The Agreement concludes over seven years of negotiation among tribes, government agencies, and other stakeholders. The Agreement will be considered by the Seattle City Council for approval this month, and then will be submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for environmental review and public comment as part of the relicensing process.
For the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, the Agreement reflects the Tribe’s longstanding commitment to protecting the Skagit River and honoring Treaty-protected fisheries that remain central to the Tribe’s culture, economy, and identity.
“As People of the Salmon, restoring and maintaining the health of the Skagit River will always be our highest priority,” said Swinomish Tribal Community Chairman Steve Edwards. “This is a hard-won, fair, and forward-looking agreement that honors our Treaty rights, strengthens the ecology of the river, and provides a responsible path forward for hydropower generation and salmon recovery.”
Swinomish leaders noted that the Tribe devoted significant time and resources to the settlement process, which took more than seven years to complete. Tribal staff from the Environmental Policy, Wildlife, and Legal departments worked alongside the Swinomish Senate and numerous partner organizations throughout the negotiations. The Agreement includes provisions that should jump-start salmon recovery in the Skagit River, including over $100 million for mainstem river restoration, $75 million for estuary restoration, $979 million for fish passage at the dams, an ongoing commitment to river flows to protect spawning and incubating salmon, and funding for ongoing science and adaptive management throughout the term of the new license.
Other participants in the settlement include Seattle City Light; the Sauk-Suiattle and Upper Skagit Indian Tribes; the Washington State Departments of Ecology and Fish and Wildlife; and federal agencies including the National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the National Park Service.
Chairman Edwards said the resulting Agreement represents the most balanced opportunity to protect and restore the Skagit watershed while supporting Seattle’s long-term clean energy generation.
“The terms of this Agreement reflect a shared commitment to protecting the Skagit River while continuing to provide clean power to Seattle residents,” Edwards said. “We believe this Agreement creates the strongest opportunity to safeguard the river, uphold our Treaty rights, and support salmon recovery for generations to come.”
Skagit County Commissioners to Consider Approval of FERC Relicensing Agreement
(posted at 2:06 p.m. March 5)
On Tuesday, March 10th, at 9:00 a.m., the Skagit County Board of Commissioners will consider approval of a Comprehensive Settlement Agreement in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) relicensing of Seattle City Light’s three-dam Skagit Hydroelectric Project.
Skagit County has participated in the relicensing negotiation process since 2019. Over the past several weeks, all participating Skagit Treaty Tribes, federal agencies, and state agencies have signed the settlement agreement. The Seattle City Council will be considering approval of the settlement agreement over the coming weeks.
If approved, the settlement agreement will be submitted to FERC for environmental review and potential adoption as the basis for a new 50-year operating license for Seattle’s Skagit River dams.
The FERC relicensing has immense implications for Skagit County including our public safety, critical infrastructure, farmland, natural resources, and community.
The hearing will be held in the Commissioners’ Hearing Room, 1800 Continental Place, Mount Vernon. The public can also join the meeting virtually via Zoom at the link on the Commissioners’ website below or by watching TV21.
