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Hydropower and Water Rights

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October 26, 2021
Weekly Columns and Op-Eds

For more than 20 years, a group of plaintiffs led by a litigious special interest environmental group have held our region hostage, threatening to breach our dams and drain the lifeblood of our region. Their lawsuits have never been about the operation of our dams; rather, they have placed a bullseye on our critical infrastructure which provides clean, carbon-free energy throughout the region while protecting our native salmon population. They are driven by a singular, ideological goal: dam breaching.

Issues: Hydropower and Water Rights

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October 22, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Reps. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), and Jamie Herrera Beutler (R-WA) released the following joint statement in reaction to Governor Inslee and Senator Patty Murray's joint statement on their plans to breach the lower Snake River dams:


October 7, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Reps. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), and Cliff Bentz (R-OR) released the following joint statement in reaction to the release of the unbalanced membership list for the Columbia Basin Collaborative:


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Hydropower is an energy source we should be encouraging not dismantling. We know the Lower Snake River Dams power hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses within their vast grid and are particularly helpful after major outages caused by extreme weather and cyberattacks. The evolution of hydropower has proven to be an affordable and reliable source of energy for rural and metropolitan communities across America allowing everyday citizens to heat their homes, operate their appliances, and access clean water. Yet rather than applauding this renewable source of clean energy, efforts to breach our dams persist.

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September 17, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) announced the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) has transmitted official congressional notification of the proposed conveyance of title to the Kennewick Irrigation District (KID). He released the following statement in support of the title transfer:


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September 2, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) applauded the announcement by the Bureau of Reclamation of three Central Washington irrigation district projects that have been selected to receive federal Small Scale Water Efficiency Grants. These grants, which are part of the U.S.


August 12, 2021
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Reps. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), and Cliff Bentz (R-OR) sent a letter to Comptroller General of the United States Gene Dodaro requesting a federal review of efforts to recover salmon populations in the Puget Sound.

The Pacific Northwest lawmakers specifically requested the U.S.

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August 5, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) announced the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) has transmitted official congressional notification of the proposed conveyance of title to the Greater Wenatchee Irrigation District (GWID). He released the following statement in support of the title transfer:


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July 20, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Reps. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) released the following joint statement in reaction to a filing by the state of Oregon and other environmental groups that calls for injunctive relief, including 24-hour maximum spillovers at all eight Columbia and Snake River dams:


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As a farmer, former state Director of Agriculture, Chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus, and Congressman representing one of the most flourishing agricultural regions in America, I fully understand the extent to which water is truly the lifeblood of Central Washington and our economy.

Issues: Hydropower and Water Rights