Inslee releases statement on Supreme Court ruling forcing Washington state to restore salmon habitat

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — The Supreme Court is leaving in place a court order that forces Washington state to restore salmon habitat by removing barriers that block fish migration.

Inslee released a statement Monday following the decision:

“This decision offers the parties finality in this long-running case. For some time now I’ve hoped that instead of litigation we could focus together on our ongoing work to restore salmon habitat. Ensuring adequate fish passage is crucial to our efforts to honor tribes’ rights to fish, sustain our orcas, and protect one of Washington’s most iconic species.

“We launched an effort in 2013 to fix about 425 barriers by 2030, and I look forward to working with tribes and the Legislature to ensure the necessary support to continue this fight.”

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