The American Public Power Association (APPA) appreciates the recent actions taken by the federal government to withdraw from the December 2023 “12/14 Agreement.” That memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the federal government, the states of Oregon and Washington, four tribes, and several environmental groups, called for actions in the Columbia River Basin, which could include breach of the four federally owned Lower Snake River dams (LSRD).
“APPA and its members had significant concerns with the '12/14 Agreement' from the beginning. The negotiation process lacked transparency and failed to seek input from critical public power stakeholders,” said Scott Corwin, APPA's president and CEO.
As the voice of not-for-profit, community-owned utilities across the United States and five U.S. territories that serve over 55 million people, maintaining affordable and reliable hydropower is critical to APPA’s mission. Physical or operational breach of the four LSRD would run counter to these objectives by undermining essential, emissions-free, hydropower resources.
Making full use of the Pacific Northwest’s hydropower resources is key to ensuring that its grid remains reliable and resilient and that utilities can respond to rising electricity demand and extreme weather events alike.
Public power utilities are committed to scientific, cost-effective mitigation for the impacts of the federal hydropower system. APPA looks forward to the opportunity to collaborate with stakeholders in the region to work towards a solution that addresses growing electricity demand in the Pacific Northwest while also encouraging common-sense stewardship of salmon populations in the Columbia River Basin.