Annette Cary / Tri-City Herald 11/29/2023
Leaked 'secret plan' reveals Biden admin's $1B-plus proposal preparing for Snake dam breachingA draft agreement negotiated behind closed doors by the Biden administration and advocates of tearing down the lower Snake River dams says the science is clear on removing the dams.
In what some are calling a "secret plan" developed with four tribes, Washington and Oregon, the federal government would spend more than $1 billion to prepare for breaching the four hydroelectric dams and to promote fish populations.
The draft agreement stops short of a federal decision to remove the dams, although it said the U.S. government continues to be "committed to exploring restoration of the lower Snake River, including dam breach."
The draft agreement has not been made public, but the Tri-City Herald obtained a leaked copy.
No one involved in the litigation is permitted to discuss the draft agreement, including those who were excluded from negotiations on a a long-running federal court lawsuit.
The Biden administration negotiations have been controversial because they have not included electric ratepayers, among others, who would pay the price for changes to how the hydroelectric system is managed on both the Snake and Columbia rivers.
Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., has reminded the Biden administration that Congress has the exclusive authority not only on any decision to breach the Snake dams, but also the exclusive authority to direct the study of removing them or to authorize replacement resources.
He was joined by Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash.; Russ Fulcher, R-Idaho and Cliff Bentz, R-Ore.
The proposed agreement was negotiated as part of the federal lawsuit that is paused until Dec. 15 to allow plaintiffs in the lawsuit to discuss the draft agreement and next steps on the dams with select tribes and litigation parties and to approve proposed actions and commitments.
More:
https://www.chronline.com/stories/leaked-secret-plan-reveals-biden-admins-1b-plus-proposal-preparing-for-snake-dam-breaching,330011