CFACT President Craig Rucker has outlined his group’s protest against offshore wind projects, as the Biden administration pushes for a green energy agenda. In a significant move, a group of House Republicans led by Congressional Western Caucus Chairman Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) have introduced legislation called the Defending Against Manipulative Negotiators (DAMN) Act. The act seeks to prohibit the federal government from breaching or tearing down four hydroelectric dams in Washington state, which environmentalists have targeted, claiming they have led to declining salmon populations in the region.
The legislation, supported by GOP Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.), and Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), comes just a month after the White House entered into a legal settlement with environmental groups and tribes to study the potential breaching of these dams. The settlement has raised concerns among industry groups representing companies reliant on the dams, as it was negotiated behind closed doors.
The Lower Snake River dams were constructed in the 1960s and 1970s by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers primarily to ensure the navigability of the Snake River for barge transportation. However, they have since become a significant source of reliable clean energy, providing approximately 8% of the state’s electricity and having a total capacity of 3,000 megawatts.
Removing these dams would not only impact clean energy production but also hinder U.S. climate goals. Replacing the hydropower generated by the dams with natural gas generation could increase carbon emissions by up to 2.6 million metric tons per year, equivalent to 421,000 passenger cars. Additionally, the dams play a crucial role in supporting agriculture exports, with barges traveling along the Columbia River system transporting about 60% of Washington’s annual wheat exports and 40% of the nation’s total wheat production.
Various industry groups, including the Washington Association of Wheat Growers, the Washington State Potato Commission, the Washington State Dairy Federation, and the National Grain and Feed Association, have expressed support for the DAMN Act. They argue that altering or breaching the dams would negatively impact their ability to transport goods and have adverse effects on local businesses, including family-owned farms, and the broader regional economy.
The legislation introduced by House Republicans not only seeks to protect the dams but also aims to prevent the federal government from implementing the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative proposed by tribes, environmental groups, and the states of Oregon and Washington. This initiative calls for a more explicit plan to remove the dams.
Critics of the Biden administration’s stance argue that it contradicts their green energy agenda, as the dams provide clean energy and contribute to the region’s economic stability. They accuse the administration of bowing to pressure from environmental activists without fully understanding the dams’ critical importance.
While the White House has not yet responded to requests for comment on the legislation, the DAMN Act represents the first of many legislative efforts by Republicans to combat what they consider the administration’s radical and unfair assault on the dams and the livelihoods of those who depend on them.
In conclusion, the introduction of the DAMN Act by House Republicans highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the future of hydroelectric dams in Washington state. With environmental concerns, clean energy goals, and economic impacts at stake, the legislation aims to protect the dams and prevent potential breaching, challenging the Biden administration’s green energy agenda. The battle over the Lower Snake River dams continues, with industry groups and lawmakers advocating for their importance to the region’s energy supply, agriculture exports, and overall economic stability.
