Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Congress blasts Biden for secret negotiations to destroy dams
Washington Examiner ^ | November 22, 2023 | Eden Villalovas

Posted on 11/28/2023 8:11:51 AM PST by Twotone

Four Northwest Republican lawmakers asked the federal government to share details of “secretive negotiations” between the government and environmental groups that have called for the removal of dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers.

In a Nov. 20 letter to Brenda Mallory, chairwoman of the Council on Environmental Quality, the lawmakers reminded the White House that Congress has the authority to weigh in on President Joe Biden’s potential removal of dams in the Columbia River Basin to rebuild salmon runs.

“In addition to expecting the immediate transmittal of the proposed USG commitments, we find it necessary to remind you Congress alone has the authority not only to order the breach of the Lower Snake River Dams, but also exclusive authority to direct the study of breaching or to authorize replacement resources,” the letter reads.

A federal court in Oregon paused a two-year-old lawsuit on Oct. 31 until Dec. 15 after parties challenging the federal government asked for more time to negotiate with one another. Within those 45 days, parties will work to save endangered salmon runs on the rivers.

In a joint court filing from the federal government and eco-groups, parties claimed to “have developed a package of actions and commitments that they intend to discuss with the other regional sovereigns and litigation parties and, following conferral, present to the Parties’ decision-makers for final review and approval.”

The court filing states parties will ask the court for a multiyear stay of the litigation, if the package of actions and commitment is approved, but did not clarify specifics of the package. The Republican lawmakers requested access to that package by Dec. 1.

“Stakeholders and our constituents are concerned their long-standing contributions to the process have not been incorporated into the final product, nor their concerns heeded. If this were to happen, we are greatly concerned the package would not be reflective of the needs of people across the Pacific Northwest,” the letter reads, signed by Reps. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), Cliff Bentz (R-OR), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), and Russ Fulcher (R-ID).

Speaking at a conservation summit at the Interior Department in March, Biden pledged to work with tribes and Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) to help protect salmon in the basin.

Republican lawmakers and players in Washington’s public power industry, such as Public Power Council, have voiced frustration at the Biden administration for overlooking their concerns and leaving them out of the process.

“The people of the Pacific Northwest have really been let down by this so-called process being run by the Council on Environmental Quality,” Public Power Council CEO and Executive Director Scott Simms said in a press statement.

“Our non-profit, community-owned member utilities and their customers were never given a real chance from the get-go, as we just recently learned a few parties in the litigation were working secretly with the federal government for more than six months on a ‘package of actions and commitments,’” Simms said.

In a September memo, the Biden administration did not explicitly call for the breaching of four hydroelectric dams on the Lower Snake River in Washington state, a move tribes and environmental groups have pushed for years. Instead, Biden urged federal agencies to restore native fish populations in the basin, honoring the administration’s treaty responsibilities with Pacific Northwest tribes.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: columbiariver; dams; despotism; greenagenda; oregon; washington; water
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-25 next last

1 posted on 11/28/2023 8:11:51 AM PST by Twotone
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Twotone

Cloward-Piven.


2 posted on 11/28/2023 8:14:50 AM PST by Steely Tom ([Voter Fraud] == [Civil War])
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

They aim to destroy America......................


3 posted on 11/28/2023 8:17:56 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

This is why CA has such horrible droughts. We have lost so many dams up here in Northern CA because of the stupid a$$ greenies.


4 posted on 11/28/2023 8:18:40 AM PST by hillarys cankles
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Twotone
"...Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID)..."

If these people are for it, it is destructive to America and I am totally against it. That's pretty easy.

5 posted on 11/28/2023 8:19:24 AM PST by rlmorel ("The stigma for being wrong is gone, as long as you're wrong for the right side." (Clarice Feldman))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

If the cowardly, spineless, house republicans had any stones they would cut the funds for any and all democrat douchebaggery.


6 posted on 11/28/2023 8:23:59 AM PST by Bonemaker (invictus maneo)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

Countdown for the first whoops dam accident...or maybe just plain midnight sabotage.


7 posted on 11/28/2023 8:24:59 AM PST by ryderann
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

Damn. How much damage is this idiot going to be allowed to cause in America before his ass finally croaks?


8 posted on 11/28/2023 8:26:47 AM PST by FlingWingFlyer (It wasn't "genocide" when Hamas did it. Hypocrites!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FlingWingFlyer

The SC begins debate on ‘administrative overreach’—this is a perfect example—and should put a stop to this country being run by the 5th estate of unelected bureaucrats.

I can not imagine a SC leaning R 6-3 would endorse this travesty to continue.


9 posted on 11/28/2023 8:35:44 AM PST by chiller (Davey Crockett said: "Be sure you're right. Then go ahead'. I'll go ahead.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

Only beavers should be allowed to build dams.


10 posted on 11/28/2023 8:38:54 AM PST by ABStrauss (I miss Rush! )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

This BS proceeds biden by a long time.

http://www.buchal.com/hoax.html


11 posted on 11/28/2023 8:55:58 AM PST by sasquatch
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger; bitt; little jeremiah

They aim to destroy America......................

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

seems like it’s everyday that I log on to the forum only to find out that the brandon/hussein administration has come up with a new way to F this country up


12 posted on 11/28/2023 8:56:32 AM PST by thinden (buckle up ....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Twotone
I live in Eastern Washington which is Desert. Without the dams which has given us irrigation this area will go back to looking like this. In fact my house is sitting on pure sand.These people are plain crazy to want to do this all for the Salmon (so they say.)

SAND-DUNES
Now it looks like this.

TRI-CITIES

13 posted on 11/28/2023 9:06:19 AM PST by Spunky
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ABStrauss
damn beavers

14 posted on 11/28/2023 9:20:47 AM PST by Waverunner
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Spunky
These people are plain crazy to want to do this all for the Salmon (so they say.)

Yea, then to add insult to injury they will ban us from ever fishing the Salmon.

15 posted on 11/28/2023 9:21:46 AM PST by usurper (AI was born with a birth defect.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

People wanted to really help the enviroment, really protect species and wildlife they would do this:

1) Any City of greater than 100K people within 100 miles of an ocean must use Desalination or recycled water to provide it’s citizens with freshwater.
2) Any City of greater than 1 million people must use Desalination with pipeline and Recycled water to account for 90% of water use.
3) Beachfront access for pipelines for desalination must be accessible for all of the above.

This alone would create two realities. First it would allow for return of multiple estuaries and river flow in the US. Second, it would free up water for use in irrigation for crops and not toilets. Third, it would shift back onto the cities the environmental costs that they have burdened rural america with.


16 posted on 11/28/2023 9:37:26 AM PST by Pete Dovgan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

Now there’s a good idea....from the Communists in the NW.
Moving out of Portland was the best decision I ever made.


17 posted on 11/28/2023 10:05:27 AM PST by Zathras
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pete Dovgan
This alone would create two realities. First it would allow for return of multiple estuaries and river flow in the US. Second, it would free up water for use in irrigation for crops and not toilets. Third, it would shift back onto the cities the environmental costs that they have burdened rural america with.

I count three realities.

18 posted on 11/28/2023 10:44:57 AM PST by BlackbirdSST (Trump or Bust! Long live the Republic.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: hillarys cankles

Add those losses to the future loss on electricity production...in the face of demands for everything to be all electric.

Then contemplate the spring flooding when there are NO DAMS to hold back the melting water & spring rain.

I remember when flooding breached the Levees along the Sacramento river & cattle were standing on the top of all the bridges. Had to drop hay to them by helicopter. MAYBE 1996??

One cattle dog-—ROWDY—got stranded on the top of the farm house. Water was rising. Helo pilot (Viet Nam helo vet)was broadcasting all day from the area. Channel 4 out of Sacto.

As the sun was setting, the water kept rising-—he flew to farm house—hovered—and camera guy rescued ROWDY.

BOTH got fired. Created quite a ruckus against NBC.

Lived in that area at that time-—

REFUSED to watch NBC while I still lived there. Left in 2004.


19 posted on 11/28/2023 11:17:40 AM PST by ridesthemiles
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Twotone

That’s just super, Patty.

So now I can look forward to paying
$0.270 per kWh (Boston, MA) instead
of the $0.0688 per kWh I’m paying now.

But there will be plenty of cheap salmon
on the menu.

Sheesh!!!!


20 posted on 11/28/2023 11:27:46 AM PST by T. Rustin Noone (Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-25 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson