Glacier Country News

Today, the Biden Administration announced that the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) has launched the Columbia River Task Force to implement President Biden’s plan to remove dams on the Snake River system. These dams supply western Montana with a significant portion of its electricity, providing between 60-70% of the power in the Pacific Northwest. Hydropower is a critical energy source in Montana, known for being abundant, affordable, and clean.

Congressman Zinke responded critically to this development. “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. He emphasized hydropower's importance as Montana's only net-zero energy source and argued that removing these dams would negatively impact the environment, economy, and energy security. Zinke stated his collaboration with Montana’s rural electric co-ops and congressional colleagues to introduce legislation opposing this plan. He called for Senate action to protect water, electricity, and livelihoods.

Zinke has actively supported maintaining the Snake River Dams through various legislative efforts:

1. **The Abandoning Inconsistent and Rash Environmental Solutions (ACRES) Act**: Cosponsored by Reps. Russ Fulcher (ID-01), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), Dan Newhouse (WA-04), and Matt Rosendale (MT-02). Supported by organizations such as National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, Port of Benton, and Pacific Northwest Waterways Association. The bill prohibits breaching federally operated dams if it results in additional acreage use exceeding 5%.

2. **The Breaking Irresponsible Energy and Commercial Habits (BREACH) Act**: Cosponsored by Reps. Russ Fulcher (ID-01), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), Dan Newhouse (WA-04), and Matt Rosendale (MT-02). Supported by Public Power Council among others. This act prevents dam breaching if it leads to increased carbon emissions above 10%, reduces navigability for commercial interests, or raises product shipping costs by at least 10%.

3. **The Ratepayer Funding Alternative Act**: Cosponsored by Reps. Russ Fulcher (ID-01), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), and Dan Newhouse (WA-04). Supported by several organizations including Public Power Council. It directs DOE to explore alternative funding options for fish and wildlife programs to mitigate costs for BPA ratepayers.

4. **The Pinniped Predator Deterrence Act**: Cosponsored by Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Russ Fulcher (ID-01), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), and Dan Newhouse (WA-04). This act mandates USACE acquire acoustic technology to deter pinniped predators around Bonneville Dam.

5. **The QUERIES Act**: Cosponsored by Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05), Russ Fulcher (ID-01), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), and Dan Newhouse (WA-04). It directs the Comptroller General of the United States to update Congress on CEQ practices.

6 & 7: Resolutions expressing support for hydropower as vital for U.S national security and disapproval of Biden's Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative have also been introduced with multiple cosponsors from Washington state representatives.

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