Congressman Zinke responds to Biden launching Columbia River Task Force to remove Snake River dams
(Washington, D.C.) - Today the Biden Administration announced that the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has launched the Columbia River Task Force to implement Biden’s long promised plan to remove dams on the Snake River system that supply western Montana with affordable and reliable electricity. These dams provide between 60-70% of the electricity in the Pacific Northwest. Hydropower is the most abundant, affordable, and cleanest source of energy available in Montana, heavily relied upon for baseload power.
“President Biden’s new “task force” prioritizes fish over people and once again puts radical environmental lawyers in the driver’s seat to run over rural Montana,” said Congressman Zinke. “Hydropower is the only net-zero energy we have in Montana and ripping that out to appease the zealots in Seattle and Silicon Valley is bad for the environment, bad for the economy and bad for our energy security. I’ve worked closely with Montana’s rural electric co-ops and my colleagues in Congress to introduce legislation to stop this idiotic plan from going forward and it’s well past time the Senate steps up to the plate and protects our water, electricity, and livelihoods.”
Congressman Zinke has been a champion in ensuring the Snake River Dams remain intact. Zinke has cosponsored seven bills to prevent dam removal and save clean energy in Montana.
The Abandoning Inconsistent and Rash Environmental Solutions (ACRES) Act
Cosponsors: Reps. Russ Fulcher (ID-01), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04),and Matt Rosendale (MT-02).
Supporting organizations: National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Port of Benton, and Pacific Northwest Waterways Association.
Summary: Prohibits the breaching of federally operated dams if such breach would result in the replacement energy resource occupying additional acreage of more than 5 percent.
Bill text here.
The Breaking Irresponsible Energy and Commercial Habits (BREACH) Act
Cosponsors: Reps. Russ Fulcher (ID-01), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04),and Matt Rosendale (MT-02).
Supporting organizations: Public Power Council, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Port of Benton, and Pacific Northwest Waterways Association.
Summary: Prohibits the breaching of federally operated dams if such a breach would result in an increase in carbon emission by more than 10 percent, would make the body of water impacted by the breach less navigable for commercial interests, and would result in an increase of at least 10 percent of the price of products shipped via the body of water.
Bill text here.
The Ratepayer Funding Alternative Act
Cosponsors: Reps. Russ Fulcher (ID-01), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), and Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04).
Supporting organizations: Public Power Council, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Port of Benton, and Pacific Northwest Waterways Association.
Summary: Directs DOE to develop fish and wildlife program funding alternatives to mitigate the cost to BPA ratepayers and report to Congress within 6 months of enactment on what alternative funding options are available.
Bill text here.
The Pinniped Predator Deterrence Act
Cosponsors: Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Russ Fulcher (ID-01), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), and Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04).
Supporting organizations: National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Port of Benton, and Pacific Northwest Waterways Association.
Summary: Requires and authorizes USACE to acquire technology that uses acoustic sound technology to deter pinniped predators above and below the Bonneville Dam.
Bill text here.
The QUERIES Act
Cosponsors: Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Russ Fulcher (ID-01), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), and Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04).
Supporting organizations: Public Power Council, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Port of Benton, and Pacific Northwest Waterways Association.
Summary: To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to submit to Congress an updated report on the roles, responsibilities, and practices of the Council on Environmental Quality.
Bill text here.
Resolution expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that hydropower is a vital component to an all-of-the-above approach to energy development which is critical to U.S. national security
Cosponsors: Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Russ Fulcher (ID-01), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), and Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04),
Supporting organizations: National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Port of Benton, and Pacific Northwest Waterways Association.
Resolution text here.
Resolution expressing disapproval of the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative entered into by the Biden Administration
Cosponsors: Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04), Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Russ Fulcher (ID-01), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), and Matt Rosendale (MT-02).
Supporting organizations: Cowlitz PUD, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Port of Benton, and Pacific Northwest Waterways Association.
Resolution text here.
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