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Kennewick Senator Matt Boenke Joins Lawmakers in Push to Keep the Lower Snake River Dams Operational by Mark Rattner NBC Right Now, January 30, 2025

State concerns include the possible negative effects to
the environment and economy if the dams are removed.

KENNEWICK, Wash. - Senator Matt Boenke introduced a senate joint memorial in Olympia that recognizes the lower Snake River Dams and their roles in the region.

The Biden Administration announced in 2023 an initiative advancing the recovery of salmon, steelhead and other native fish populations by breaching the dams and replacing them with other clean energy projects.

Senator Boenke states in SJM 8010 that breaching the dams would eliminate all barge navigation between the Tri-Cities and Clarkston, resulting in rail and trucking networks for the transportation of commodities.

Additional benefits such as hydropower, fish and wildlife conservation, agriculture and recreation were also cited by Senator Boenke.

SJM 8010 strives to reenact the Northwest Energy Security Act to prohibit any structural modification, action, study or engineering plan that stops the dams from generating electricity.

Recently, 4th District Representative Dan Newhouse and Idaho Senator Jim Risch re-introduced the Northwest Energy Security Act to require the Bureau of Reclamation, the Bonneville Power Administration, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to ensure the Lower Snake River dams remain operational and continue to support the region's energy needs.

SJM 8010 was referred to the Senate Environment, Energy and Technology Committee on January 29 in Olympia.

Related Pages:
Bill to Protect the Lower Snake River Dams Gets Renewed Push by Mark Rattner, NBC Right Now, 1/22/25

Senate Joint Memorial 8010
State of Washington, 69th Legislature
by Senator Boehnke

TO THE HONORABLE DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND TO THE HONORABLE J.D. VANCE, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:

We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

WHEREAS, The United States Army Corps of Engineers was authorized to construct, operate, and maintain four dams on the lower Snake River for navigation, hydropower, fish and wildlife conservation, and recreation; and

WHEREAS, The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is responsible for marketing and transmitting the hydroelectric power generated by the dams on the lower Snake River; and

WHEREAS, The lower Snake River dams' electricity output accounts for a significant percentage of BPA's peaking capacity, according to BPA; and

WHEREAS, The electricity produced by the lower Snake River dams is essential to meeting the goals set forth in Washington's Clean Energy Transformation Act; and

WHEREAS, The lower Snake River dams provide for supplies of water that are used for irrigating vast tracts of land in Washington, thereby supporting the state's critical agricultural sector; and

WHEREAS, The lower Snake River dams facilitate the transport of an average of 4,200,000 short tons of commodities, including exports, each year; and

WHEREAS, Breaching the lower Snake River dams would eliminate all barge navigation between the Tri-Cities and Clarkston, causing the transportation of commodities to shift to rail and trucking networks; and

WHEREAS, Barging on the Snake River is the most efficient and environmentally friendly mode of commodity transportation because a typical four-barge tow can move the same amount of cargo as 140 railcars or 538 semi-trucks; and

WHEREAS, The flatwater reservoirs and locks system resulting from the lower Snake River dams provides a diverse range of recreational opportunities and enables cruise boats to navigate between Tri-Cities and Clarkston; and

WHEREAS, Continuous configuration and operations improvements, including enhanced fish passage, have led to progressively higher salmon and steelhead counts at the dams over time; and

WHEREAS, The federal agency responsible for operating the dams published a Record of Decision in 2020 identifying a preferred alternative operation strategy that would benefit fish without breaching the four lower Snake River dams; and

WHEREAS, Breaching any dam on the lower Snake River would severely diminish hydroelectric power generation, irrigation, navigation, recreation, agriculture, tourism, and fish and wildlife benefits the dams currently provide to the people of Washington; and

WHEREAS, S.182, "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," also known as the Northwest Energy Security Act, was recently introduced in the United States Senate; and

WHEREAS, The Northwest Energy Security Act directs that the Federal Columbia River Power System, which includes the lower Snake River dams, must be operated in a manner consistent with the 2020 Record of Decision, also known as the Supplemental Opinion; and

WHEREAS, The Northwest Energy Security Act prohibits any structural modification, action, study, or engineering plan, that restricts electrical generation at any Federal Columbia River Power hydroelectric dam, or that limits navigation on the Snake River in Washington, Oregon, or Idaho, unless such proposal is specifically and expressly authorized by a later-enacted federal statute; and
(bluefish emphasis added)

WHEREAS, The Washington State Legislature recognizes the importance of the lower Snake River dams and the entire Federal Columbia River Power System for the security and prosperity of the state and expresses its concern that breaching any dam in the system will be to the detriment of the State of Washington;

NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that you pass and approve S.182, the Northwest Energy Security Act.

BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, the Honorable J.D. Vance, Vice President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.

Northwest Energy Security Act

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.

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.
In 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 Commissioner of Reclamation;
   (B) the Secretary of Energy, acting through the Administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration; and
   (C) the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers.

3. SUPPLEMENTAL OPINION. -- The term "Supplemental Opinion" means --
   the document entitled "Columbia River System Operations Environmental Impact Statement Record of Decision" and dated 16 September 2020.

SEC. 3. OPERATION OF FCRPS.

The Secretaries shall operate the FCRPS in a manner consistent with the reasonable and prudent alternative described 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 those 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.