Newhouse Legislation Protecting Our Dams Receives Legislative Hearing

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (WA-04) released the following statement after his legislation, H.R. 2073, the Defending our Dams Act, received a legislative hearing by the House Natural Resources Committee with testimony from Clark Mather, Executive Director, Northwest RiverPartners.  

"I have been working hard with allies of the Lower Snake River dams to ensure we do everything possible to protect them, and this hearing today marks another success in that effort. This legislation guarantees that federal funds will not be used to breach, or even study breaching, the dams and protects the Army Corps and BPA’s rights to control spillage operations," said Rep. Newhouse. 

Newhouse added, "I thank Clark Mather with Northwest RiverPartners for his willingness to testify before the committee on this important issue and will continue to work with our partners to protect these critical pieces of infrastructure." 

Background 

This legislation protects the Lower Snake River dams while ensuring that safeguards are implemented to protect ratepayers and the greater Pacific Northwest economy from the irreparable harm that would occur if the dams were breached.

It also prohibits the use of federal funds from being used in breaching, studying the breaching of, or altering the Lower Snake River dams, and does not allow spillage operations on any of the Lower Snake River dams unless such operations are approved by the Secretary of the Army and the Administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration. 

The legislation is cosponsored by Reps. Michael Baumgartner (WA-05), Cliff Bentz (OR-02), and Russ Fulcher (ID-01). 

See full bill text here. 

Watch full hearing here. 

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