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H. CON. RES. 63 106th CONGRESS - 1st Session, March 18, 1999

Expressing the sense of the Congress opposing removal of dams
on the Columbia and Snake Rivers for fishery restoration purposes.
(Introduced in the House)

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Mr. HASTINGS of Washington (for himself, Mr. NETHERCUTT, Mr. WALDEN, Mrs. CHENOWETH, Mr. SIMPSON, Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, Mr. HANSEN, Mr. POMBO, Mr. RADANOVICH, Mr. SKEEN, and Mr. DOOLITTLE) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Congress opposing removal of dams on the Columbia and Snake Rivers for fishery restoration purposes.

Whereas approximately 75 percent of the Pacific Northwest's electricity used to create and maintain jobs is provided by Columbia and Snake River system dams, which generate renewable energy without creating any air or water pollution;

Whereas the Corps of Engineers estimates that the flood control provided by the dams on the Columbia and Snake River system prevented $4,600,000,000 in damages from potential floods in 1996 and 1997;

Whereas the Columbia and Snake River system, located in the States of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, is an essential transportation link for United States exports of all types of products, including transporting 43 percent of all United States wheat exports in 1997;

Whereas replacing the power currently generated by the dams on the Columbia and Snake Rivers would result in significant increases in costs to consumers and could cause significant harm to the economy of the Pacific Northwest;

Whereas water collected in the Columbia and Snake River system irrigates half the productive farmland in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, despite the fact that only a net 7 percent of the total flows in that system are diverted for all human uses;

Whereas producers who ship their products on the Columbia and Snake River system save approximately $38,000,000 per year over land based transportation, a savings which keeps United States exports competitive on world markets;

Whereas the Columbia and Snake River system allows large volumes of freight to be moved with negligible impact on air quality, and replacing this transportation capacity would require use of 120,000 rail cars or 700,000 trucks;

Whereas recent studies by the National Marine Fisheries Service indicate that the survival rates of salmon and steelhead migrating down the Columbia and Snake River system have stayed the same or increased since 1961, even as four dams were added to the Snake River;

Whereas the Federal interagency group known as the Plan for Analyzing and Testing Hypotheses Group concluded that removing four dams on the lower Snake River could not guarantee meeting established fish recovery targets for fishery restoration; and

Whereas improved fish hatchery processes, including fish acclimation processes, have resulted in the first successful run of coho salmon on the Yakima River in 3 decades: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That--

(1) the dams on the Columbia and Snake River system provide tremendous economic and environmental benefits to the United States that should be retained;

(2) plans for the recovery of federally protected fish species in the Columbia and Snake River System should not rely on dam removal schemes;

(3) efforts to maintain healthy and sustainable populations of resident and anadromous fish in the Columbia and Snake Rivers must address all the factors impacting species population and health, including ocean conditions, harvest levels, predation, and passage around and through hydroelectric projects; and

(4) any comprehensive fish recovery plan for the Columbia and Snake River system must be based on sound data and consider the economic and social costs associated with changes to the management and use of the river infrastructure.

Related Links:
Hastings' Breaching Resolution Approved Tri-City Herald, 7/22/99