Staff Reports
Washington’s latest bureaucratic circus is gearing up to breach the four Lower Snake River dams, potentially sending ripples through the nation’s energy grid. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and Washington State Department of Ecology have taken the lead on this enlightening endeavor, with plans to grace us with a draft by year’s end. For those who’ve got an hour or so to kill, the agencies will host two online meetings next week to share their pearls of wisdom and answer any burning questions.
These online tea parties are scheduled for June 25 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and again on June 27 from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., where they’ll discuss their high-minded goal of understanding the current water supply and its uses near the four dams. All this to evaluate the impacts of Congress potentially greenlighting a dam breach — you know, just a minor decision that could wreak havoc on water delivery.
WA Ecology, Feds to host meetings on breaching Lower Snake River dams (The Center Square) – A new study is underway, considering the potential impacts if Congress were to breach Washington’s four Lower Snake River dams, a decision that could impact ener…https://t.co/0QjzBXEo55
— The Black Chronicle (@BlackChron) June 22, 2024
This isn’t just some half-baked study, but part of the Biden administration’s plan, announced in December, to mend fences over Columbia River System Operations. With salmon restoration and clean energy as the shiny objectives, the administration promises stability for the tribes and communities nestled along this river system. Who wouldn’t want to trade reliable energy for fish?
Biden’s olive branch comes with a staggering $1 billion investment over the next decade, should Congress decide to, well, throw common sense out the window and breach the dams. In the name of green virtue and tribal appeasement, of course.
Now let’s talk numbers. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Washington isn’t just alright in hydroelectric power; it leads the nation. Last year, a whopping 60% of the state’s electricity was hydro-powered, accounting for about one-fourth to one-third of all hydroelectric generation in the country. Breaching these dams would be akin to shooting ourselves in the foot just to put on new shoes.
Eastern Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers hosted a hearing in January to put this grand plan under the microscope. Skeptics pointed out the conspicuous absence of significant stakeholder input, while the financial repercussions seemed to have been conveniently swept under the Obama-era rug.
Earlier this week, the White House proudly unveiled a shiny new Columbia River Task Force to help fulfill these “commitments.” However, the Department of the Interior’s report, accompanying this announcement, barely covered a smattering of dams and tribes, painting only part of the picture. It’s almost as if the report was tailored to fit a predetermined narrative.
Central Washington Congressman Dan Newhouse minced no words criticizing this lack of transparency and inclusion of local stakeholders. He branded this move as nothing more than a disingenuous ploy to check off an environmentalist agenda at the expense of Central Washington’s carbon-free, renewable, and affordable energy backbone. But hey, who needs cheap and reliable energy when you can have political boxes checked and virtue signaling in spades?
