WAWG
By Kurt Miller Originally published in the Spokesman-Review As we navigate the complexities of our energy future, it’s crucial to base our decisions on solid data and a comprehensive understanding of the consequences. Suggestions that we can remove productive hydropower dams (as shared in a recent op-ed by Bill Arthur and Emily Washines, “Bold blueprint for salmon restoration puts region ... Read More »
Tag Archives: dams
Judge grants Snake River dam litigation stay through 2028
From the Capital Press U.S. District Judge Michael Simon has approved a memorandum of understanding negotiated by the Biden administration and litigants in a lawsuit over Snake River dam operations. The agreement stays the lawsuit until Dec. 13, 2028, with the possibility of another five-year extension. Read the rest of the article here. Read More »
WAWG Executive Director appears on Fox News
Early Sunday morning, Washington Association of Wheat Growers’ Executive Director Michelle Hennings sat down for an interview with Fox News to stress how critical the dams are for the transportation of wheat and other products to export terminals in Portland. She made sure to stress that this is not just a local issue, but a national issue, as products from ... Read More »
McMorris Rodgers Announces Congressional Hearing on Protecting the Lower Snake River Dams
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) has announced a hearing titled “Exposing President Biden’s Plan to Dismantle the Snake River Dams and the Negative Impacts to the U.S,” scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024. The hearing will be open to the public and press and will be live-streamed online at https://energycommerce.house.gov/. “The Columbia River System and the ... Read More »
Washington lawmakers question CEQ on dam litigation settlement
Four members of Washington’s congressional delegation have sent a letter to the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) questioning how the U.S. government plans to finance the commitments outlined in the lower Snake River dams settlement agreement, which was released last month. The letter was sent by Reps. Kim Schrier, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, and Dan Newhouse. “Some language ... Read More »
Washington ag industry pens letter to governor on dam agreement
The Washington Association of Wheat Growers has spearheaded a letter to Washington Gov. Jay Inslee expressing concern that his administration has been privately engaging with the U.S. government and excluding agricultural stakeholders who would be directly impacted by significant changes to the river system. “Now that the ‘package of actions and commitments’ has been daylighted, our organizations are frustrated that ... Read More »
White House negotiated settlement in secret leaves farmers behind; impacts PNW economy
Concerned stakeholders left out of dam breaching discussions with Administration. Pacific Northwest (PNW) agriculture groups and stakeholders, including the Washington Association of Wheat Growers, Pacific Northwest Waterways Association, The McGregor Company, Washington State Potato Commission, and Washington Farm Bureau, strongly oppose the proposed “U.S. Government Commitments in Support of the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative and in Partnership with the Six ... Read More »
Update on lower Snake River dams mediation efforts
On November 29, the document entitled “U.S. Government Commitments in Support of the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative and in Partnership with the Six Sovereigns” was made public in a letter from Pacific Northwest members of Congress to President Biden. The draft agreement is based on the Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative, a proposal to the Biden Administration from the six sovereigns ... Read More »
Lawmakers warn Biden on Snake River dam secret package
From the Capital Press Republican lawmakers continue to warn President Joe Biden about secret plans developed by the White House Council on Environmental Quality and plaintiffs in a long-running lawsuit over the four lower Snake River dams. Republican Sens. Jim Risch and Mike Crapo of Idaho and Steve Daines of Montana sent a letter to Biden to discuss their concerns ... Read More »
Biden Administration quietly developing settlement with groups seeking to tear down key power source
From Fox News The Biden administration is quietly discussing a potentially far-reaching settlement with environmental groups that advocate for tearing down four hydroelectric dams in Washington to protect salmon. Federal attorneys representing the government said it had “developed a package of actions and commitments” and agreed to pause litigation with environmental activist plaintiffs in the case, according to court documents ... Read More »