[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 162 (Tuesday, October 3, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H4961]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       NATIONAL CLEAN ENERGY WEEK

  (Mr. LaMALFA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, National Clean Energy week just passed by. 
It should be a time to recognize the various forms of clean energy 
available to all of us.
  Unfortunately, one form continues to be taken not as seriously and, 
in many cases, undermined, and that would be hydroelectric power, which 
has so many benefits. Yet hydroelectric dams across this country, 
including one in the Klamath area of my district, are being torn out 
because of an environmental agenda that isn't even true.
  Others are on the hit list, like up in the State of Washington, by 
their environmental extremists. As policy leaders and consumers push 
for a more green future, hydropower should be part of that solution as 
a lot of the needed infrastructure already exists, as well as nuclear 
power.
  Why are we seeing dams that supply low-cost renewable energy that 
have already existed for over a century being decommissioned?
  Because here is the trick: You make it where it is almost impossible 
to do the maintenance and upgrades to that infrastructure so that over 
time it becomes too expensive now to continue to have those dams and 
they are old relics that need to be taken out. That is the trick.
  Indeed, had we maintained them and kept them in place, we wouldn't 
have this economic crossroads to deal with. We need to preserve our 
dams and keep hydroelectric power as a cornerstone of our power grid.

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