(Washington, D.C.) On Thursday, June 12th, 2008, Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers will hold a hearing in Washington, D.C. about the role of hydropower in meeting current and future domestic energy needs. McMorris Rodgers is the Ranking Member of the Water and Power Subcommittee and asked for the hearing.

The hearing is entitled “Hydropower: Providing 75% of America’s current renewable energy. Exploring its role as a continued source of clean, renewable energy for the future.”

• Hydro-electric dams provide nearly 70 percent of Washington State’s electricity.
• It would take three nuclear, six coal-fired, or 14 gas fired power plants to provide capacity equal to the four lower Snake River dams.
• Our clean, renewable hydropower has kept the Northwest's "carbon footprint" at half that of the rest of the nation and removing the Snake River dams would add nearly 5 ½ million tons of CO2 to the atmosphere each year.

“Hydroelectric dams across the West and especially in Washington State have provided us with an abundant supply of clean, affordable, and renewable energy,” McMorris Rodgers said. “At a time of growing energy demand, it makes no sense to throw this energy source away.”

• Washington State Senator Bob Morton (R-Kettle Falls)
• Bob Johnson, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner
• Scott Corwin, Public Power Council Executive Director
• Bruce Howard, Avista Utilities Director for Environmental Affairs
• Tim Culbertson, Grant County Public Utility District General Manager

Contact:
Destry Henderson
202-225-2006
202-279-0418