[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 129 (Wednesday, July 22, 2020)]
[House]
[Page H3670]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 KEEPING KLAMATH RIVER RENEWABLE ENERGY

  (Mr. LaMALFA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commend the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission for the decision the other day to not accept the 
proposal by an entity called the Klamath River Renewal Corporation, 
which seeks to remove four very important hydroelectric dams on the 
Klamath River in northern California and southern Oregon.
  These dams produce enough renewable hydroelectric power to power 
70,000 homes. The problem with renewing them, thinking it is going to 
help the fish population, is that it would unleash at least 20 million 
cubic yards of silt with who knows what all is in there--heavy metals, 
et cetera--that will then be unleashed upon the rest of the river all 
the way out to the ocean.
  It takes only 3 years to wipe out a salmon population, and it will 
take much longer for the silt to dissipate in the river.
  So much more needs to be done to explore this situation. I advocate 
that we allow these dams to continue to operate and provide power to 
our grid that indeed is renewable and helps meet the renewable 
portfolio standard for California and not just tear them out at unknown 
costs exceeding $450 million.

                          ____________________