Multi-billion dollar settlement will include salmon passage projects at Skagit dams

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-16

[00:00:00]This is the story of the power of a river. The three dams on the Skagit River were celebrated feats of engineering a century ago and remain a lower cost source of about 20% of the electricity used by Seattle City Light customers.

[00:00:14]But those savings and the development came with a price tag, submerging sensitive property belonging to three tribes and blocking passageways for endangered spawning salmon.

[00:00:26]>> [applause] >> But today, a bit of redemption in a settlement agreement signed by the city of Seattle. We can continue to produce clean, carbon-free energy while also safeguarding cultural and natural resources. The multi-billion-dollar deal with the Upper Skagit and Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribes includes building salmon passage routes around the dams and improvements to the habitat and efforts to reduce flood risks. A years-long KING 5 investigation exposed the need for a fix on the Skagit River. For decades, the city relied on old science, refusing to acknowledge the dams' impact on salmon despite studies from federal and state agency scientists who argued the exact opposite. In fact, only scientists who backed the city of Seattle's theory worked for the city. It was very difficult. These discussions were, in fact, um I referred to this agreement as a treaty at one point because, in fact, we were kind of at war at at one point.

[00:01:24]>> Scott Schuyler from the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe says the signing made for a day of reflection. He won't celebrate though until he sees the benefit of the changes he and others fought for on the Skagit River. This agreement is about quality of life, improving the quality of life, not just for us, not just for our river, but for everybody, including Seattle, because we know that we're doing the right thing. Today's settlement agreement lays out the foundation for work that's supposed to happen over the next 50 years. Scott Schuyler says his work will begin tomorrow.

[00:01:57]In Seattle, Drew Mikkelsen, KING 5 News.