Utilities combine with law firm Van Ness Feldman
and former U.S. Congressman Norm Dicks
(SEATTLE,
WA) -- With hundreds of millions of dollars at stake for 6.4 million Pacific
Northwest electric utility customers, a coalition of 70 Northwest utilities,
industry associations and other entities has hired Washington, D.C. and
Seattle-based law firm Van Ness Feldman. The coalition known as the Columbia
River Treaty Power Group plans to share its views with policy makers and
regional stakeholders on economic, environmental and operational issues as the
United States prepares to renegotiate the 1960s-era Columbia River Treaty.
One
member of the Van Ness team is no stranger to Washington state residents -
former Congressman Norm Dicks. The 18-term former congressman joined the
Washington, D.C. and Seattle-based firm of Van Ness Feldman earlier this year.
The
Treaty has no expiration date, but could be terminated as early as 2024 with a
10-year notice. The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers will make a recommendation to the U.S. Department of State
on the Treaty’s future by the end of 2013.
“We
understand the major impact that this Treaty has on the customers we serve,”
said Bill Gaines, Director & CEO of Tacoma Public Utilities. “This
partnership signifies our continued commitment to negotiate the best possible
deal for power customers throughout the Northwest and to best protect the
interests of the United States.”
The
Power Group became concerned about the direction of potential Treaty
negotiations when a draft recommendation was released by BPA and the Corps on
June 27. The draft proposes to add ecosystem functions as a “third primary
purpose” of the Treaty, which was ratified in 1964 to facilitate international
development of the Columbia River for improved flood control and power
generation. Unfortunately, the draft fails to recognize that U.S. hydropower
operations have already been adapted to ecosystem concerns pursuant to numerous
laws and regulations passed since the Treaty was enacted.
“As
a former member of Congress and Northwest representative, I am keenly aware
that this region has invested billions of dollars in the Columbia River Basin
during the last five decades to protect fish and water resources,” said Dicks,
Senior Policy Advisor for Van Ness Feldman. “We need to make sure that people
across the country know we have programs in place - independent of the Treaty -
that will protect these resources going forward.”
A
priority of the Power Group is reaching an equitable allocation of Treaty
benefits between the U.S. and Canada. The U.S. returns hydropower to Canada
valued about $250 - $350 million annually under a provision of the Treaty
called the Canadian Entitlement. If the Treaty continues beyond 2024, the
region will be paying much more than the actual benefits of coordinated power
operations with Canada, impacting Northwest jobs and the economy.
“BPA
customers need an additional advocate to make sure our views are heard at the
highest level in the region and in Washington, D.C.,” commented Will Hart of the
Idaho Consumer-Owned Utilities Association. “Our organizations are intensifying
our work on the Treaty to bring more balance to this process. This is an
incredibly important economic issue for the region.”
Flood
control is another critical issue. “People in this region also need to be aware
that the flood control provisions of the Treaty change in 2024 regardless of
whether the Treaty is terminated or continued,” said Scott Corwin of the
Portland-based Public Power Council. “The implications for hydropower
operations, irrigation, navigation, recreation, and property are an important
aspect of this agreement that needs to be broadly understood.”
Another
increasingly important consideration is the impact of potential operational
changes on grid reliability. “Going forward, we need to ensure that future
river operations preserve hydropower generation to support grid reliability,
given the integration of a large amount of variable energy resources like wind and
solar,” said Joe Lukas, Manager of Western Montana Electric Generating &
Transmission Cooperative, Inc.
The
coalition believes that the Van Ness Feldman group and former Congressman Dicks
will help elevate the concerns of electric customers before a final
recommendation is sent to the U.S. State Department later this year.
For
more information about the Power Group, visit www.crtpowergroup.org
