House Committee Unanimously Passes Newhouse Bill to Strengthen Clean Energy in Pacific Northwest

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) released the following statement after the House Committee on Natural Resources unanimously approved H.R. 2641, the Pacific Northwest Pumped Storage Hydropower Development Act of 2021:

"This is a huge step forward in enhancing Central Washington's hydropower capabilities, creating jobs, and encouraging investment in clean energy across the country," said Rep. Newhouse. "I am grateful for the support this legislation has already received, and I am hopeful we can maintain this momentum to pass it in the House and through the Senate."

Rep. Newhouse introduced the Pacific Northwest Pumped Storage Hydropower Development Act of 2021 to improve permitting for pumped storage hydroelectric projects, create jobs in Central Washington, and protect Tribal interests. The bill will help increase renewable energy production and storage in the Pacific Northwest.

Background:

Pumped hydropower storage generates electricity by pumping water between two reservoirs when electricity prices and demand are high. Currently, both the Bureau of Reclamation and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) have jurisdiction over non-federal hydropower development at Bureau of Reclamation facilities. The requirement for two separate permitting processes is inefficient, drives up project costs, and can be a disincentive for pumped storage development at facilities that have to go through both processes.

There is only one active non-federal pumped storage project that is facing dual processes. Columbia Basin Hydropower has proposed a pumped storage project called the Banks Lake Storage Project—a $1.4 billion, 500 megawatt project in Northeast Washington that would pump water between Banks Lake and Lake Roosevelt to provide more energy storage and increase the use of renewable energy. The project is expected to create approximately 1,000 construction jobs. The Pacific Northwest Pumped Storage Hydropower Development Act of 2021 would provide sole jurisdiction to the Bureau of Reclamation for the Banks Lake Storage Project, while also protecting the rights of Tribes in the permitting process.