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Bill Introduced to Protect Four Lower Snake River Dams, Columbia River Power Systems by Staff Big Country News, March 23, 2023

WASHINGTON - On Thursday, Idaho Senator Jim Risch and Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris-Rodgers were among those to introduce the 'Northwest Energy Security Act,' aimed at protecting the lower Snake River dams and boosting energy production along the entire Columbia River System.

Risch and McMorris-Rodgers were joined by Montana Senator Steve Daines and Washington Congressman Dan Newhouse in introducing the legislation.

"A comprehensive, scientific process made clear dam breaching on the lower Snake River is completely unnecessary and unwarranted," said Risch. "With the Northwest Energy Security Act, Congress will ensure the Columbia River Power System continues to provide reliable and clean energy and supports the region's transportation, agriculture, and irrigation needs. I remain adamantly opposed to breaching the dams."

Specifically, this legislation requires the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) to be operated in alignment with the 2020 "Columbia River System Operations Environmental Impact Statement (CRSO EIS) Record of Decision," which was developed by federal agencies using the best available science and following public process requirements outlined in federal law. The 2020 CRSO EIS protects the power and navigation benefits of the Lower Snake River dams, while requiring operations modifications to support endangered salmon recovery.

"I am growing increasingly concerned about President Biden's openness to breaching our dams," said McMorris Rodgers. "From his administration's recommendation to rip them out -- without any scientific evidence to back it up -- to his desire to work with anti-dam advocates, it's clear our dams are in danger. This legislation would help save them by focusing on facts and results. It's time to recognize that salmon runs are improving at record rates thanks to our mitigation efforts and positive ocean conditions, and that the dams provide clean and reliable energy that powers our homes and businesses. That's something worth protecting."

The lawmakers introduced this legislation just days after President Biden mixed up his river systems, saying at the White House Conservation in Action Summit that he looks forward to working with anti-dam members of Congress to "bring healthy and abundant salmon runs back to the Colorado River System."

"Breaching dams is the last thing we should be doing," said Daines. "The Columbia River System provides clean, reliable baseload power and we should be supporting and expanding hydropower throughout the United States, not removing affordable energy supply for Montanans."

This legislation is endorsed by the Washington Policy Center, Inland Ports and Navigation Group (IPNG), Tri-Cities Development Council (TRIDEC), United Power Trades Organization, Washington Grain Commission, WA Wheat Growers, and Idaho Farm Bureau.

Related Sites:
Risch, Daines Introduce Bill to Protect Four Lower Snake River Dams, Clean Energy, Agriculture, and Transportation in the Pacific Northwest Press Release

Related Pages:
Newhouse Leads GOP Colleagues in Offering Bill to Protect Lower Snake River Dams by News Service, Ripon Advance, 6/13/22

118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION

A BILL

To provide for operations of the Federal Columbia River Power System pursuant to a certain operation plan for a specified period of time, and for other purposes.

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Mr. NEWHOUSE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on blank

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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

The Act may be cited as the "Northwest Energy Security Act".

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
For the purposes of this Act:

(1) FCRPS. -- The term "FCRPS" means those portions of the Federal Columbia River Power System that are the subject of the Supplemental Opinion.

(2) SECRETARIES. -- The term "Secretaries" means --
(A) the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Bureau of Reclamation;
(B) the Secretary of Energy, acting through the Bonneville Power Administration; and
(C) the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Army Corps of Engineers.

(3) SUPPLEMENTAL OPINION. -- The term "Supplemental Opinion" means the document titled "Columbia River System Operations Environmental Impact Statement Record of Decision", and dated September 2020.

SEC. 3. OPERATION OF FCRPS.
The Secretaries shall operate the FCRPS in a manner consistent with the reasonable and prudent alternative set forth in the Supplemental Opinion.

SEC. 4. AMENDMENTS TO SUPPLEMENTAL OPINION.
(a) IN GENERAL. -- Notwithstanding section 3, the Secretaries may amend portions of the Supplemental Opinion and operate the FCRPS in accordance with such amendments if all of the Secretaries determine, in the sole discretion of each Secretary, that --

(1) the amendment is necessary for public safety or transmission and grid reliability; or
(2) the actions, operations, or other requirements that the amendment would remove are no longer warranted.

(b) RESTRICTION ON AMENDMENTS.
-- The process described in subsection (a) shall be the only method by which the Secretaries may operate the FCRPS in any way that is not consistent with the reasonable and prudent alternative set forth in the Supplemental Opinion.

SEC. 5. LIMITATION ON RESTRICTING FCRPS ELECTRICAL GENERATION; CLARIFICATION.

(a) RESTRICTING FCRPS ELECTRICAL GENERATION.
-- No structural modification, action, study, or engineering plan that restricts electrical generation at any FCRPS hydroelectric dam, or that limits navigation on the Snake River in the State of Washington, Oregon, or Idaho, shall proceed unless such proposal is specifically and expressly authorized by a Federal statute enacted after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(b) CLARIFICATION. -- Nothing in this section affects or interferes with the authority of the Secretaries to conduct operation and maintenance activities or make capital improvements necessary to meet authorized project purposes of FCRPS facilities.