The Biden Administration has announced the launch of the Columbia River Task Force by the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), aimed at implementing President Biden’s longstanding plan to remove dams on the Snake River system. These dams currently supply western Montana with affordable and reliable electricity, constituting between 60-70% of the power in the Pacific Northwest. Hydropower from these dams is crucial for Montana, providing abundant, affordable, and clean baseload energy.
“President Biden’s new task force prioritizes fish over people and once again places radical environmental lawyers in charge, potentially harming rural Montana,” stated Congressman Zinke. “Hydropower is Montana’s sole net-zero energy source, and dismantling it to satisfy extremists in Seattle and Silicon Valley would have negative environmental, economic, and energy security consequences. I’ve collaborated closely with Montana’s rural electric cooperatives and congressional colleagues to introduce legislation halting this misguided plan. It’s high time the Senate acts to safeguard our water, electricity, and livelihoods.”
Congressman Zinke has been a staunch advocate for preserving the Snake River Dams, cosponsoring seven bills aimed at preventing dam removal and preserving clean energy resources in Montana.