BPA To Spill Additional Water of Columbia River Power System

Starting Tuesday, the Bonneville Power Administration will comply with a court ruling demanding that spill flows be increased over the Snake and Columbia River dams.  The ruling has proven very unpopular with eastern Washington representatives Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Dan Newhouse and other rural northwest lawmakers.  Those in favor claim the additional water will help salmon in both rivers.

Representative Dan Newhouse told the Washington Ag Network this additional spill will cost rate payers an extra $40 million a year, in increased utility costs.

“That doesn’t even include the transportation impacts, or the lack of water available for agriculture, or available for communities, so, there’s a lot at stake here, and we’ll continue to work with all people, including our senators, and other members of the Washington and Northwest delegation.”

Newhouse urges the Ag community to contact lawmakers from both parties to stress the importance of dams for Northwest residents and businesses.

“Hydropower helped build the Northwest, and still today it offers us clean, renewable, reliable, and affordable energy to help power our homes, businesses, and communities," McMorris Rodgers said in response.  "I’m proud to announce that my bipartisan legislation to protect our dams will come before the House of Representatives in the coming weeks to be voted on and sent to the Senate. My goal is to ensure that dams and fish can co-exist, and this Biological Opinion provides a collaborative approach so we can continue to improve technology and fish recovery efforts, while supporting the clean energy produced on our dams. I’m proud to lead this effort along with the support of organizations and people all across Eastern Washington.”
 

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