Yakima Times

Rep. Dan Newhouse of Washington introduced new legislation aimed at safeguarding the Lower Snake River dams and bolstering hydropower as a stable energy source. The legislative package includes three bills with backing from various stakeholders.

Newhouse emphasized the importance of the dams, stating, "The Lower Snake River dams are the foundation of our region’s energy security and are vital to deliver agriculture exports to foreign markets." He warned that without these structures, the region could face economic challenges and power outages during extreme weather conditions.

The first bill, H.R. 2073, titled the Defending Our Dams Act, seeks to protect these dams while implementing measures to shield ratepayers and the Pacific Northwest economy from potential harm if the dams were breached. This legislation prohibits federal funds from being used for breaching or altering these dams unless approved by specific authorities. It is cosponsored by Reps. Michael Baumgartner (WA-05), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), and Russ Fulcher (ID-01).

Another component of the package is H.R. 2074, known as the Protecting Our Water Energy Resource (POWER) Act. This bill aims to prevent dam breaching if it would lead to increased carbon emissions or negatively impact commerce and shipping costs. Cosponsors include Reps. Baumgartner, Fulcher, and Bentz.

Congressman Bentz remarked on the necessity of this legislation: “The Defending Our Dams Act and the Protecting Our Water and Energy Resources (POWER) Act are essential to preserving the Pacific Northwest’s energy reliability."

Additionally, Congressman Fulcher expressed his support: "I am proud to be an original co-sponsor... Not only do they provide an essential maritime highway... but they also provide immense value to Idahoans."

The third bill in this legislative effort is H.R. 2072, which allows for extensions on licenses for certain hydropower projects up to six years beyond their initial start date. This measure has support from Rep. Cleo Fields (LA-06) alongside Baumgartner and Fulcher.

Senator Steve Daines introduced a companion bill in the Senate and commented on its significance: “Energy security is national security... Many of our hydropower projects have been held up due to supply chain shortages.”

Supporting organizations for these bills include Northwest RiverPartners, Pacific Northwest Waterways Association, Inland Ports and Navigation Group among others.