[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1176 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 1176
Expressing disapproval of the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative
entered into by the Biden administration.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 29, 2024
Mr. Newhouse (for himself, Mrs. Rodgers of Washington, Mr. Fulcher, Mr.
Bentz, Mr. Rosendale, and Mr. Zinke) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing disapproval of the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative
entered into by the Biden administration.
Whereas about 95 to 98 percent of juvenile fish survive after passing through
each of the 8 Federal dams within the Columbia-Snake River System;
Whereas 90 percent of the renewable energy generated in the Pacific Northwest
region of the United States is provided by the Columbia-Snake River
System;
Whereas roughly 1,800,000 homes receive clean energy generated by the Ice
Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose, and Lower Granite Dams,
collectively known as the 4 Lower Snake River dams;
Whereas the 4 Lower Snake River dams generate more than 1,000 megawatts of
carbon-free hydroelectric energy and have the capability to generate
over 3,000 megawatts;
Whereas between 50,000,000 and 60,000,000 tons of cargo worth approximately
$3,000,000,000 are barged annually through the Columbia-Snake River
System, including through the 4 Lower Snake River dams;
Whereas between 40 to 60 percent of all United States wheat exports are shipped
through the Columbia-Snake River System, mostly on the Lower Columbia
River through deep-water draft ports;
Whereas an environmental impact statement published on October 8, 2020, by the
Army Corps of Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the Bonneville
Power Administration found that the 4 Lower Snake River dams should not
be breached and that Federal restoration efforts should instead be
focused on improving and maintaining hydroelectric power assets while
working to improve salmon passage;
Whereas on October 15, 2021, the State of Washington announced plans to assess
whether to breach the 4 Lower Snake River dams;
Whereas on October 21, 2021, the Department of Justice announced a settlement
reached between the parties of National Wildlife Federation, et al. v.
National Marine Fisheries Service, et al. (Case No. 3:01-cv-00640-SI)
(in this resolution referred to as ``NWF v. NMFS''), which included a
stay on the case until July 2022 and led to mediated discussions to
resolve the litigation;
Whereas on September 13, 2023, members of Congress sent a letter to the Council
on Environmental Quality expressing concerns with the mediation
discussions resulting from NWF v. NMFS and urging the Council to utilize
the remainder of the stay on the litigation to productively engage with
all the parties in the mediation process;
Whereas on September 27, 2023, the Biden administration released a memorandum
titled ``Restoring Health and Abundant Salmon, Steelhead, and Other
Native Fish Populations in the Columbia River Basin'' (88 Fed. Reg.
67617), outlining a plan for fish migration in the Columbia River Basin;
Whereas on December 14, 2023, as a product the mediation discussions resulting
from NWF v. NMFS, the Biden administration entered into a memorandum of
understanding with Washington, Oregon, the Confederated Tribes and Bands
of the Yakama Nation, the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian
Reservation, the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of
Oregon, the Nez Perce Tribe, the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's
Associations, the Institute for Fisheries Resources, the Sierra Club,
Idaho Rivers United, the Northwest Sport Fishing Industry Association,
the NW Energy Coalition, the National Wildlife Federation, Columbia
Riverkeeper, the Idaho Conservation League, and Fly Fishers
International to implement the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative;
Whereas throughout the mediation discussions resulting from NWF v. NMFS, key
stakeholders and community members directly impacted by the litigation
were left in the dark as negotiations proceeded behind closed doors;
Whereas the Biden administration and dam-breaching advocates are intent on
achieving a de facto breach of the 4 Lower Snake River dams by opening
the gates to reduce the water below the minimum operating levels for
hydroelectric power generation;
Whereas the decision to breach the 4 Lower Snake River dams ultimately lies with
Congress, which must authorize the matter, not the Biden administration;
Whereas the Biden Administration has irresponsibly made commitments regarding
the Columbia River Basin, which are dependent on congressional
appropriations that have not been promised, negotiated, secured, or
allocated: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) recognizes that the 4 Lower Snake River dams are the
lifeblood of the Pacific Northwest region of the United States
and are vital to a strong all-of-the-above energy strategy; and
(2) disapproves of the Columbia Basin Restoration
Initiative, as proposed in the memorandum of understanding
filed on December 14, 2023, in the District Court for the
District of Oregon in NWF v. NMFS.
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