Language Preventing Taxpayer Dollars from Supporting Condit Dam Removal passes House
Washington,
Jun 6, 2012 -
The House passed H.R. 5325 today, which includes language authored by Congressman Doc Hastings to ensure that taxpayers are not responsible for the costs associated with PacifiCorps’ promised mitigation of its decision to remove Condit Dam. Hastings supported this bill, which passed by a vote of 255 to 165.
“The community around what was formerly known as Northwestern Lake are still feeling the effects of last October’s removal of Condit Dam, which served rural counties in Central Washington for nearly a century,” said Hastings. “PacifiCorp chose to remove the dam, and they – not taxpayers – should be held completely financially responsible for addressing the continuing impact of the removal to the river, fish, the former lake banks, and wells in the area.”
Condit Dam was a privately owned and operated hydropower-producing dam located in south-central Washington state. It was constructed in 1913 on the White Salmon River, a tributary of the Columbia River. Since 1947, Condit Dam has been owned and operated by PacifiCorp, and has held a license with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
“I will continue to oppose efforts by those with an agenda to tear out federally-owned or licensed hydropower dams,” said Hastings. “The Northwest has led the nation in clean, renewable hydropower and I will continue to support federal policies that support our hydropower investments—not undermine them.”
Last year, Hastings authored a provision, which was signed into law that prevented federal funding from being used to tear out Condit Dam or to mitigate the removal of the dam in Fiscal Year 2012. The language that was supported by the House today would continue this prohibition through Fiscal Year 2013.
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