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Hydropower and Water Rights

Hydropower is a key piece in the all-of-the-above energy portfolio and we are fortunate to have the Lower Snake River Dams powering the Pacific Northwest producing approximately 3,800 megawatts of carbon-free energy every year. These dams provide many benefits to our region, including flood control, habitat restoration, navigation, irrigation, and recreation and I am fighting radical efforts to breach these dams both physically and operationally. 

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.  

I have said it before, and I will say it again—Congress alone has the authority to breach the Lower Snake River Dams, and as long as I am your representative, I will fight to ensure our dams remain in place.