Our Views: Cantwell On Right Track to Expand Hydropower

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    Last week U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., introduced a bipartisan bill that aimed to boost hydroelectric power across the nation, which along with cheap, clean power, would also bring new jobs.

    The Hydropower Improvement Act would increase the supply of hydropower in the United States and the number of jobs in an industry that already employs more than 300,000 workers.

    Support of the act was led by Sen. Cantwell, who is the chair of the Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy. The other sponsor is Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R- Alaska (the Energy and Natural Resources Committee ranking member), along with cosponsorship by seven other senators, including Washington Sen. Patty Murray.

    A study by Navigant Consulting Inc. revealed that an emphasis on hydropower could create more than 1.4 million jobs by 2025.

    “Emissions-free hydropower is the backbone of Washington’s economy, providing around three quarters of our electricity, and keeping our rates among the lowest in the country,” Cantwell said. “This bipartisan bill will help find ways to increase our nation’s hydropower capacity without building new dams, improving air quality while creating new clean energy jobs.”

    Already Washington state produces about a third of the nation’s hydropower. It is affordable, clean and is credited with attracting new businesses into this state.

    Our dams beyond supplying this state with about 75 percent of its energy, also provide the water to irrigate Eastern Washington farms. Dams have also ended the regular severe flooding that occurred along the Columbia River in years past. Closer to home, the dams on the Cowlitz River provide recreation in the creation of Mayfield and Riffe lakes, and also allow for control of flows to ease flooding fears.

    Cantwell’s act calls for upgrading turbines and adding power to the 97 percent of American’s dams — about 80,000 — that don’t generate power today.

    The act, however, does not authorize the construction of any new dams.



    It is unfortunate that environmentalists have hijacked dams to the point we don’t even discuss using them as a solution to our power problem in America. What a different world this would be if we didn’t have to rely on gas from the Middle East.

    What are our future options?

    Coal is too dirty. Wind, solar and other clean energy projects are expensive. For now, nuclear has lost its luster and we have always had a problem with waste that takes hundreds of thousands of years before it is nonradioactive.

    With today’s new technologies and insight into water flows and construction techniques, we believe there is a possibility that expanded hydropower — including new dams — should be considered.

    Imagine a Washington state if the dams had never been built. We’d have more coal plants, less industry and a barren Eastern Washington.

    Cantwell’s Act would call for a two-year process to determine which non-powered dams and other water storage projects would be suitable for power generation. It is a good start.

    The next step is for this country to have a scientific debate on the merits of expanded hydropower.