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Our Dams Support Us; It's Time to Support Them by Cathy McMorris Rodgers Capital Press, December 1, 2016

Everyone benefits from our dams, and I will continue to
do my part in Congress to make sure they are supported.

Following Judge Michael Simon's recent decision to require a full review of the Columbia and Snake River systems, there has been a movement to re-evaluate what our dams mean to Eastern Washington.

Here in our region, the four lower Snake River dams provide renewable, reliable, affordable energy and act as a superhighway for barges to transport goods. As a community, we need to let our federal partners know that we want to continue to invest in and improve our dams.

Currently, the Army Corps of Engineers is undertaking a public "scoping" period through Jan. 17 providing an opportunity for Eastern Washington residents to voice their support for dams and the benefits they offer to the region.

I have long been a champion of our dams and the power they produce. I am the co-chair of the Northwest Energy Caucus and the founder of the Hydropower Caucus, which provide a platform for me to educate my colleagues in the House and Senate about the importance of dams and advocate for them.

This year, I authored bipartisan legislation to streamline the dam relicensing process, which, if enacted, would lower electricity costs in Washington state. Currently, the four lower Snake River dams generate enough energy to power 1.87 million homes with clean, renewable hydropower. Nearly 70 percent of Washington's energy comes from hydropower, and dams are the reason our energy bills are so low.

bluefish does the math: (1,050 average Megawatts / Lower Snake River dams) x (365 days/year x 24 hours/day) / 10.766 megawatthours / residential customer / year x 1 year / = 855,000 residential customers

In fact, one of the biggest threats to fish is not the dams, but invasive predators. Many coalitions in support of our dams and fish have made serious efforts to remove invasive predators. To assist in their efforts, I support Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler's legislation, the Endangered Salmon and Fisheries Predation Prevention Act. This legislation removes non-native California seals, which eat salmon as they enter the ocean or when they return to our rivers to spawn.

The Snake River dams also allow for the efficient, cost-effective, low-carbon transport of goods. Nearly 10 percent of all U.S. wheat exports are shipped through the four lower Snake River dams. It would have taken more than 43,000 rail cars, or more than 160,000 semi-trucks, to move the goods that went by barge in 2014.

bluefish does the math:

• 2,500,000 tons of grain x 58 large grain hopper semi-trailers / 1,500 tons x 1 semi-truck / 2 semi-trailers = 48,300 semi-trucks
• 2,500,000 tons of grain x 15 jumbo hopper railcars / 1,500 tons x 1 unit train / 52 cars (at minimum) = 480 unit trains (at maximum) or 240 two-unit trains
• 2,500,000 tons of grain x 1 jumbo covered hopper barge / 1,500 tons = 1,670 jumbo covered hopper barge or 416 4-barge tows or 280 6-barge tows

Statista tells us that "In crop year 2016/17, the United States exported over 228 million metric tons of wheat." Lower Snake River's 2.5 million short tons represents 1% of wheat exports NOT 10% as Representative McMorris Rodgers claims.

I am proud to be a champion of our dams and the role they play in energy production, transportation, and trade. Everyone benefits from our dams, and I encourage everyone in Eastern Washington to voice your support. If you were unable to attend one of the scoping meetings held this fall, there is still time to submit written comments to the Army Corps of Engineers before the Jan. 17 deadline. Learn more about how to voice your support at www.crso.info/.

Everyone benefits from our dams, and I will continue to do my part in Congress to make sure they are supported.