Update from Walla Walla on Hydropower

Statement

Hello,

I'm in Walla Walla today, and just participated the National Hydropower Association Conference. Leaders from across the country are here to see how our region's hydropower and river systems are supporting jobs and clean, reliable energy. As your voice in Eastern Washington, I wanted to make sure you also received this critical update that I shared with them this morning.

Hydropower helped build the Northwest and provides the region with clean, renewable, reliable, and affordable energy. Energy that powers our homes, businesses, and our communities. Thanks to my provisions I fought for, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA):

Protects upgrades to our non-federal dams.
Allows early action dam investments to be made outside of the relicensing window.
Permits new technology to be installed as it becomes available to increase power generation or fish passage or BOTH.
Authorizes a land transfer between the Port of Whitman and the Army Corps of Engineers.

River systems are the lifeblood of our economy here in Eastern Washington, which is why I'm determined to protect the Columbia and Snake River dams. This Congress I passed bipartisan legislation through the House that would provide reliability and certainty in the region. My bill will:

Allow scientists in our region to continue to build consensus, manage our river system, and further improve fish recovery efforts.
Allow our dams to properly function without further endangering our salmon population.
Halt the increase in court-mandated spillover of the dams.

Waterways are critical in ensuring that agriculture remains Eastern Washington's number one industry. I was proud to see WRDA pass the House which authorizes critical funding to support our locks, dams, and river system, which is the superhighway for our wheat, potatoes, and other agriculture products. In addition, I secured nearly $2 million in funding to support the Columbia Basin Project, which will:

Develop a pumping plant and pipeline delivery system for the Odessa Ground Water Replacement Program.
Ensure Columbia Basin irrigation districts can provide water to grow our crops and fuel our economy.
Our economy is booming right now. Consumer confidence is at a 17-year high. Wage growth also just hit a 17-month high. The unemployment rate in Washington's 5th District is one of the lowest figures ever recorded. This is the economic comeback Republicans said was possible with lower taxes and smarter regulations. As a result, Americans are Better Off Now. For jobs in our community, I'm working to make sure hydropower and our river systems continue to be a part of this story.

Thanks,
Cathy

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