GOP lawmakers ramp up pushback on Snake River dam deal still in the making

 

Republican lawmakers on Wednesday released a confidential, draft mediation agreement developed during recent high-stakes talks over the future of dam operations on the Lower Snake River.

The draft agreement says the government will help plan and pay for tribes in the Pacific Northwest to develop enough clean energy resources to serve as replacement power for the Lower Snake River dams, whether or not Congress authorizes dam removal.

The draft also includes billions of dollars in funding for analyzing the region’s energy needs, improving transportation infrastructure, making the power grid more resilient and restoring salmon, steelhead and other native fish runs in the Columbia River basin.

Mediation in the court case is still underway and the stay of litigation expires Dec. 15. The negotiations are being led by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. Such negotiations — and draft mediation documents developed during the talks — are always confidential, under rules that govern the talks.

The members of Congress are not parties to the talks and released the document, along with a letter to President Joe Biden, seeking clarification on everything from what science the document relied on, to how the agreement would affect reliability of energy supplies and how the agreement would be funded...more