{"id":2105788,"date":"2023-11-22T13:04:02","date_gmt":"2023-11-22T18:04:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/congress-blasts-biden-for-secret-negotiations-to-destroy-dams-and-protect-salmon\/"},"modified":"2023-11-22T13:08:31","modified_gmt":"2023-11-22T18:08:31","slug":"congress-blasts-biden-for-secret-negotiations-to-destroy-dams-and-protect-salmon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/congress-blasts-biden-for-secret-negotiations-to-destroy-dams-and-protect-salmon\/","title":{"rendered":"Congress blasts Biden for secret negotiations to destroy dams and protect salmon"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcongress-blasts-biden-for-secret-negotiations-to-destroy-dams-and-protect-salmon%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2105788&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<h2>Republican Lawmakers Demand Transparency in Negotiations Over Dam Removal<\/h2>\n<p>Four Northwest Republican lawmakers \u200bhave called on the federal government to share details of the &#8220;secretive negotiations&#8221;\u2062 between the government and \u200benvironmental groups regarding the removal of \u200bdams on the \u2062Columbia and\u2064 Snake rivers. In a letter to Brenda Mallory, chairwoman of the Council\u200d on Environmental Quality, the lawmakers emphasized that Congress has the authority\u200b to weigh in on President Joe Biden&#8217;s potential dam removal plans in order to rebuild salmon runs \u200bin the \u200dColumbia \u2063River Basin.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;In addition \u2062to\u200c expecting\u200c the immediate\u200d transmittal\u200c of the \u2063proposed USG commitments, we find it necessary\u200d to remind you \u2064Congress alone has the authority not only to \u200corder\u200c the \u200dbreach of the\u200c Lower Snake River Dams, but also exclusive authority \u2063to direct \u2064the study\u200c of breaching or to authorize replacement resources,&#8221; the letter reads.<\/p>\n<p>A federal court \u2064in Oregon has temporarily paused a lawsuit to allow parties involved \u200cto negotiate further\u2062 until \u2064December 15. \u200cDuring this \u200dtime, efforts will be made to protect endangered salmon runs on the \u200brivers. The \u2063federal government \u200cand eco-groups have developed a package of actions and commitments, which they \u2063intend to present to decision-makers for review and \u200dapproval. The Republican \u200clawmakers have requested\u2064 access \u200bto this package by December 1.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Stakeholders and our constituents are \u200cconcerned their \u200clong-standing\u200d contributions \u200cto the process have not been incorporated into \u2062the final product, nor their concerns heeded. If this were to happen, we are greatly concerned the package would not be reflective of the\u200d needs of people across the Pacific Northwest,&#8221; the \u2063letter states.<\/p>\n<p>Republican\u200b lawmakers and \u200cplayers \u200cin Washington&#8217;s public power industry have expressed \u2062frustration with the Biden administration for disregarding their \u2064concerns \u2062and excluding them from the process. Public\u200c Power \u2062Council\u2062 CEO and Executive Director \u2063Scott \u2064Simms criticized the Council on Environmental\u200c Quality, stating, &#8220;The people of the Pacific Northwest have \u2064really been let \u200bdown by this so-called process being run\u2063 by the Council on Environmental Quality.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>In a September memo, the Biden administration did not \u2062explicitly\u2063 call\u2063 for the \u2062breaching of four hydroelectric dams on the Lower Snake River in Washington state, a move that tribes and environmental groups have advocated for. Instead, Biden urged federal agencies \u2064to\u2064 restore native fish populations in the basin, honoring \u2062the administration&#8217;s treaty responsibilities with Pacific Northwest tribes.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2>1) What are the concerns raised\u200d by the lawmakers \u2064regarding the negotiation process for dam \u2062removal in \u2062the Pacific Northwest?<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Ents and documents, we request a\u2064 full accounting of the \u200c\u200bnegotiation process\u200b \u200bthat led to these discussions\u200b, including all parties involved, all relevant meetings, and \u2063a timeline of events,&#8221; the letter \u200bstated. &#8220;As elected representatives, it is our duty to ensure \u200btransparency and accountability in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/listen-elon-musk-presses-robinhood-ceo-about-gamestop-fiasco-restricted-trading\/\" title=\"LISTEN: Elon Musk Presses Robinhood CEO About GameStop Fiasco, Restricted Trading\">decision-making process<\/a>, especially when it concerns the\u2064 livelihoods of\u200c our constituents and \u200cthe\u2064 economic well-being of our region.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The lawmakers, Dan \u200cNewhouse, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Jaime Herrera Beutler,\u2064 and \u200cRuss Fulcher, \u200cexpressed\u200c their concerns that the negotiations have been conducted behind closed doors, without \u200binput from local communities, industries, \u200cand elected officials.\u2062 They argue that the decision to remove the dams, which would\u2063 have significant\u200c economic and \u2062environmental impacts, should \u200dbe made with the\u2063 full participation\u2064 of all \u2062stakeholders.<\/p>\n<p>The \u2062dams in question, including the four lower Snake River\u2064 dams, have long been a contentious issue\u200d in\u200b the Pacific Northwest. Proponents \u2064of dam removal argue that it is necessary to \u2062restore dwindling salmon populations, which have been severely affected\u2062 by the presence of the dams. However, opponents, including many farmers, barge operators, and power companies, argue that\u200b the\u2062 dams\u200d are crucial for irrigation, transportation, and hydropower generation.<\/p>\n<p>The lawmakers also highlighted the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/study-japan-school-closures-in-spring-2020-did-not-stop-virus-spread\/\" title=\"Study: Japan School Closures in Spring 2020 Did Not Stop Virus Spread\">potential negative consequences<\/a> of dam removal, such \u200das <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/manchin-shreds-biden-over-expected-crackdown-on-power-plants-reveals-how-he-will-respond\/\" title=\"Manchin criticizes Biden's power plant crackdown and shares his response.\">increased electricity costs<\/a>, reduced \u200bwater\u2063 storage for irrigation, and a loss of reliable transportation routes for agricultural products. They argue that \u200bthese factors should be carefully considered and thoroughly evaluated before any decision is made.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the lawmakers \u200dexpressed concerns about the lack of economic analysis\u200b conducted thus far and the\u200b potential impact on local economies. They stressed \u200dthe need for a comprehensive analysis of the economic effects of dam removal, including \u200bthe loss of jobs and \u200drevenue, as well as the potential economic benefits of \u2062other \u2062mitigation measures and \u2064alternatives.<\/p>\n<p>In \u200btheir\u2063 letter, the\u200d lawmakers urged the \u200dCouncil on Environmental Quality to provide answers to their questions and to \u2062engage in an open \u200ddialogue with all stakeholders involved. They emphasized\u2062 the importance of transparency and collaboration, stating that &#8220;the diverse opinions, knowledge, and expertise of those living and\u2064 working in the region should not be disregarded or marginalized.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The lawmakers\u200d concluded their letter by reiterating their commitment\u200b to protecting the interests of their constituents and advocating for a balanced and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/congress-blasts-biden-for-secret-negotiations-to-destroy-dams-and-protect-salmon\/\" title=\"Congress blasts Biden for secret negotiations to destroy dams and protect salmon\">evidence-based decision-making process<\/a>. They emphasized the\u2062 need for \u200cthe federal \u2064government\u2064 to consider all perspectives \u200band ensure \u2063that any \u2063decisions made regarding dam removal are thoroughly justified and\u2064 in \u2063the \u2062best interest of all parties \u2062involved.<\/p>\n<p>The demand for transparency from these Republican lawmakers reflects the broader push for openness and inclusivity\u200c in environmental decision-making processes. It underscores the importance of engaging all stakeholders, considering diverse viewpoints, and thoroughly evaluating the potential \u200cconsequences of major \u200denvironmental actions. In an era marked by increasingly polarized\u200c debates, the call for transparency serves as a reminder\u200b that decisions on \u2063issues like dam \u200dremoval\u200d should be made\u2062 through careful and inclusive deliberation \u200brather than through closed-door negotiations.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Four Northwest Republican lawmakers asked the federal government to share details of \u201csecretive negotiations\u201d between the government and environmental groups that have called for the removal of dams on the Columbia and Snake rivers. In a Nov. 20 letter to Brenda Mallory, chairwoman of the Council on Environmental Quality, the lawmakers reminded the White House<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2105789,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2105788","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2105788","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2105788"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2105788\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2105789"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2105788"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2105788"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2105788"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}