Turbulent Waters Ahead

Navigating through another Trump administration

by Kelly Campbell, Policy Director 

I don’t have to tell you that the recent federal election results are not good for the Columbia River and those who depend on it. 

Columbia Riverkeeper’s range of talents—including legal acumen, on-the-ground organizing, savvy communications, and a large, active membership—give us the tools to curtail some of the worst effects of the election in our region. 

First, the good news:

• Washington voters crushed Initiative 2117, which would have overturned the state’s landmark climate legislation. Columbia Riverkeeper was proud to join with hundreds of trusted organizations to oppose this dangerous initiative. Many of our partners also worked to defeat a host of other regressive ballot measures.
  
  
• Portland voters ushered in a new era of city governance with a larger city council using ranked choice voting. Many of the new city council members have indicated that they oppose Zenith’s fossil fuel terminal and are interested in preserving the groundbreaking Portland Clean Energy Fund. This is a city council that we can work with. 
  
  
• In Oregon, a Democratic supermajority in the Senate and possibly the House means that we have an opportunity to shore up Oregon’s laws as national climate and environmental justice policies are threatened. 
  

In some of our most high-profile climate fights, the decision makers are not President-elect Trump or his agencies, but state agencies, counties, cities, and other local entities. So with your help, we can still make progress on important issues during the next four years. 

Here are just a few of the ways we plan to make an impact despite the challenges posed by the next administration: 

• Lower Snake River Dams removal: Since the water temperature reduction planning process for the Lower Snake River dams is driven by the State of Washington’s authority, we can continue to push forward along with strong state leadership. We will continue the work, with other organizations, Tribes, and states to build grassroots power and a strong case for dam removal. 

• Hanford Cleanup: We look forward to working with Washington’s new Governor Bob Ferguson and Attorney General Nick Brown, who have solid track records on Hanford cleanup. We’ll need strong partners, since Hanford cleanup is specifically threatened in the new administration’s playbook, Project 2025.

• Stopping False Solutions: We will continue to expose false solutions to the climate crisis such as the proposed nonconventional diesel refinery in an estuary, attempts to site dirty new nuclear reactors on the river, and other greenwashed energy projects that would harm the Columbia River and its communities.

• Protecting Clean Water: We’ll keep using the Clean Water Act and state laws to hold polluters accountable, work in solidarity with Tribal Nations to clean up Superfund sites on the Columbia, and educate and empower diverse communities to stand up for clean water and healthy fish. 

We will also be looking for strategic opportunities to stand up to the Trump administration and challenge national decisions that run counter to Columbia Riverkeeper’s mission and values. Stay tuned. 

As movement trainer Daniel Hunter reminds us, “The key to taking effective action in a Trump world is to avoid perpetuating the autocrat’s goals of fear, isolation, exhaustion and disorientation.”  

So while this election was overall a setback, we invite you to move forward together with Columbia Riverkeeper as we stand up for our values, for each other, and for the river.