Should the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) operate in compliance with the Endangered Species Act?

Environment and Energy
Federal Columbia River Power System Act AKA "Salmon Extinction Act" (H.R. 3144)
This bill has Passed the House of Representatives
Bill Summary

This bill requires the Bureau of Reclamation, the Bonneville Power Administration, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to operate the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) in compliance with the Endangered Species Act (Section 7a2 Supplemental Biological Opinion) until the later of: (1) September 30, 2022 or (2) a date when a final biological opinion for FCRPS operations is in effect with no pending further judicial review. Background: This bill would void a federal judge’s order to increase spill over to help migrating salmon. U.S. District Judge Michael Simon in Portland, Ore., had ordered the new spill operations at eight dams in March 2017 in response to litigation filed by 25 plaintiffs, including the Idaho Wildlife Foundation, Idaho Rivers United and Idaho Steelhead and Salmon United. A federal appeals court upheld the ruling on April 3, 2018. Sponsor: Rep. McMorris Rodgers, Cathy [R-WA-5]
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Opponents say

• Opponents say the extra water is crucial to improving survival of wild salmon and that this bill will roll back salmon protection.
• This bill will explicitly bar any consideration of lower Snake River dam removal as a recover option in the Columbia/Snake River basin, worsening the state of our hydro systems.

Proponents say

• Proponents say that increased springtime water releases (which this bill voids) would cost electricity ratepayers about $40 million annually.
• This bill provides relief from the endless litigation of federal hydro system by directing federal agencies to implement FCRPS’s current Biological Opinion plan.
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