HR 626

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 22, 2025

Mr. Newhouse (for himself, Mr. Baumgartner, Mr. Fulcher, and Mr. Bentz) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

A BILL

To provide for operations of the Federal Columbia River Power System pursuant to a certain operation plan for a specified period of time, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

The Act may be cited as the “Northwest Energy Security Act”.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act:

(1) FCRPS.—The term “FCRPS” means those portions of the Federal Columbia River Power System that are the subject of the Supplemental Opinion.

(2) Secretaries.—The term “Secretaries” means—

(A) the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Commissioner of Reclamation;

(B) the Secretary of Energy, acting through the Administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration; and

(C) the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers.

(3) Supplemental opinion.—The term “Supplemental Opinion” means the document entitled “Columbia River System Operations Environmental Impact Statement Record of Decision” and dated September 2020.

SEC. 3. OPERATION OF FCRPS.

The Secretaries shall operate the FCRPS in a manner consistent with the reasonable and prudent alternative described in the Supplemental Opinion.

SEC. 4. AMENDMENTS TO SUPPLEMENTAL OPINION.

(a) In General.—Notwithstanding section 3, the Secretaries may amend portions of the Supplemental Opinion and operate the FCRPS in accordance with those amendments if all of the Secretaries determine, in the sole discretion of each Secretary, that—

(1) the amendment is necessary for public safety or transmission and grid reliability; or

(2) the actions, operations, or other requirements that the amendment would remove are no longer warranted.

(b) Restriction on Amendments.—The process described in subsection

(a) shall be the only method by which the Secretaries may operate the FCRPS in any way that is not consistent with the reasonable and prudent alternative set forth in the Supplemental Opinion.

SEC. 5. LIMITATION ON RESTRICTING FCRPS ELECTRICAL GENERATION; CLARIFICATION.

(a) Restricting FCRPS Electrical Generation.—No structural modification, action, study, or engineering plan that restricts electrical generation at any FCRPS hydroelectric dam, or that limits navigation on the Snake River in the State of Washington, Oregon, or Idaho, shall proceed unless such proposal is specifically and expressly authorized by a Federal statute enacted after the date of the enactment of this Act.

(b) Clarification.—Nothing in this section affects or interferes with the authority of the Secretaries to conduct operation and maintenance activities or make capital improvements necessary to meet authorized project purposes of FCRPS facilities. <all>