Citing costs, U.S. House votes to halt additional water spills for salmon
By Becky Kramer
Breaching the four Lower Snake River Dams would require an act of
Congress under legislation that passed the U.S. House of Representatives
today.
The bill, sponsored by Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Dan Newhouse,R- Wash., would block spilling of additional water over the dams, which was recently ordered by the court to help young salmon and steelhead migrate to the ocean. Any modifications to the dams’ operations would be halted for about five years, unless Congress specifically authorized changes to power production or Snake River navigation.
House Resolution 3144 recognizes the dams’ contribution to the Northwest economy and provides certainty to irrigators, barge operators
and the region’s electric ratepayers, the sponsors said during a conference call.
Additional spills of water over the dams to aid fish costs about $40 million yearly in lost power production, which affects rates for
families and businesses, Newhouse said.
“Salmon and dams can co-exist,” McMorris Rodgers said. “That’s a story we need to continue to tell.”....
