Parties in federal salmon lawsuit seek pause in litigation

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Parties in a lawsuit involving dams on the Columbia and Snake river system are asking a federal court for a pause in litigation. Fishing and conservation groups, along with the state of Oregon, the Nez Perce tribe, and the Biden administration say the pause is needed so they can try to work out a solution to save endangered salmon runs. The lawsuit filed against several federal agencies involves the most recent plan for dam operations issued by the Trump administration in 2020. The stay request would still seek to increase water flow for a short time next spring through the dams to help salmon migrate to the ocean.