WASHINGTON – This week, Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Jason Mercier, vice president and director of research for the Mountain States Policy Center, wrote an op-ed in support of the Snake River dams, pointing to the importance of hydropower in the region and the critical role the dams play in Idaho’s economy.

Select excerpts from the piece are below and the entirety of the article is available here.

“As a U.S. senator and the leader of an independent free-market research organization, we are unified in our effort to protect the Snake River dams and maintain their economic and environmental benefits for our region. Beyond us, there is strong, widespread support for the dams, including from Idaho officials and trade groups. The Idaho Farm Bureau Federation is on record, having written that the dams ‘produce a significant amount of affordable and environmentally friendly hydroelectric power to the region’ while allowing farmers to “export their product to the world. Additionally, the Idaho Legislature passed a resolution in 2021, stating it ‘supports the international competitiveness, multi-modal transportation, and economic development benefits provided by the Port of Lewiston and the Columbia-Snake River System.’”

“Look at the result of the only comprehensive, scientific, and public process: the Columbia River System Operations Record of Decision. This multi-year process, which was undertaken by both a Democrat and Republican administration, made one thing abundantly clear: dam breaching on the lower Snake River is completely unnecessary and unwarranted. Moreover, there is one salient point that is often overlooked in the debate about the Snake River dams: Congress authorized these dams, and only Congress has the power to remove them.”

“The Northwest Energy Security Act, which I, Sen. Risch, introduced with Sen. Steve Daines, R-Montana, and Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and U.S. Reps. Dan Newhouse, R-Washington, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Washington, and Russ Fulcher, R-Idaho, is a key part of this effort. While the lower Snake River dams are congressionally protected, our bill goes one step further by explicitly securing the energy, transportation, agriculture and irrigation benefits the dams provide.”

“Protecting the Snake River dams and other federal water infrastructure is pivotal to both Washington and Idaho. Together we’ll remain dam strong for the benefit of our region.”

Read the full article here.

# # #