Sen. Murray, Gov. Inslee rebut proposal to remove Snake River dams A dam along the Snake River. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) U.S. Senator Patty Murray and Washington Governor Jay Inslee are calling for a regional process to help the salmon populations in the Columbia River Basin. In a joint statement released Friday, they say any effort to restore salmon in the Columbia River Basin must include input from tribes, fishermen, farmers, and those who rely on the river for transportation and energy. The joint statement released by Murray and Inslee on Friday rebuts a proposal from Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson, who previously suggested using billions of dollars in federal infrastructure funding to remove four dams along the Snake River by 2030.