Federal

Northwest Energy Security Act

Source: Congress.gov · 698 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This bill tells three federal agencies how to run the Federal Columbia River Power System, which is a network of dams and power facilities in the Pacific Northwest. The agencies must operate these facilities based on a specific plan from September 2020. The bill also allows the agencies to change parts of that plan if they decide it is necessary for public safety or power grid reliability.

Who It Affects

The three federal agencies responsible for operating the Federal Columbia River Power System are directly affected. The bill also impacts anyone who uses electricity from this power system and anyone involved in navigation on the Snake River in Washington, Oregon, or Idaho.

Key Provisions

- The three Secretaries (the Secretary of the Interior, Secretary of Energy, and Secretary of the Army) must operate the Federal Columbia River Power System according to a plan from September 2020 called the "Columbia River System Operations Environmental Impact Statement Record of Decision" (Sec. 3) - All three Secretaries can change the September 2020 plan only if each one decides it is necessary for public safety, power grid reliability, or because current requirements are no longer needed (Sec. 4) - No major changes to dams that would reduce electricity generation or limit Snake River navigation can happen unless a new federal law specifically allows it after this bill passes (Sec. 5)

What Changes

The three federal agencies gain a specific set of rules for operating the Columbia River Power System based on the September 2020 plan. They can only make changes to that plan through the process described in the bill. No other federal agency or entity can restrict electricity generation at these dams unless Congress passes a new law allowing it.

Important Definitions

- FCRPS means the parts of the Federal Columbia River Power System covered by the September 2020 plan - Secretaries means the heads of the Interior Department (Bureau of Reclamation), Energy Department (Bonneville Power Administration), and Army Department (Army Corps of Engineers) - Supplemental Opinion means the "Columbia River System Operations Environmental Impact Statement Record of Decision" document from September 2020

Effective Date

Not specified in bill text

I 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 1762 To provide for operations of the Federal Columbia River Power System pursuant to a certain operation plan for a specified period of time, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 23, 2023 Mr. NEWHOUSE (for himself and Mrs. RODGERS of Washington) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Re- sources, and in addition to the Committee on Transportation and Infra- structure, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic- tion of the committee concerned A BILL To provide for operations of the Federal Columbia River Power System pursuant to a certain operation plan for a specified period of time, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 The Act may be cited as the ‘‘Northwest Energy Se- 4 curity Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 6 For the purposes of this Act: 7 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:55 Apr 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1762.IH H1762 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 1762 IH (1) FCRPS.—The term ‘‘FCRPS’’ means those 1 portions of the Federal Columbia River Power Sys- 2 tem that are the subject of the Supplemental Opin- 3 ion. 4 (2) SECRETARIES.—The term ‘‘Secretaries’’ 5 means— 6 (A) the Secretary of the Interior, acting 7 through the Bureau of Reclamation; 8 (B) the Secretary of Energy, acting 9 through the Bonneville Power Administration; 10 and 11 (C) the Secretary of the Army, acting 12 through the Army Corps of Engineers. 13 (3) SUPPLEMENTAL OPINION.—The term ‘‘Sup- 14 plemental Opinion’’ means the document titled ‘‘Co- 15 lumbia River System Operations Environmental Im- 16 pact Statement Record of Decision’’, and dated Sep- 17 tember 2020. 18 SEC. 3. OPERATION OF FCRPS. 19 The Secretaries shall operate the FCRPS in a man- 20 ner consistent with the reasonable and prudent alternative 21 set forth in the Supplemental Opinion. 22 SEC. 4. AMENDMENTS TO SUPPLEMENTAL OPINION. 23 (a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding section 3, the 24 Secretaries may amend portions of the Supplemental 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:55 Apr 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1762.IH H1762 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 1762 IH Opinion and operate the FCRPS in accordance with such 1 amendments if all of the Secretaries determine, in the sole 2 discretion of each Secretary, that— 3 (1) the amendment is necessary for public safe- 4 ty or transmission and grid reliability; or 5 (2) the actions, operations, or other require- 6 ments that the amendment would remove are no 7 longer warranted. 8 (b) RESTRICTION ON AMENDMENTS.—The process 9 described in subsection (a) shall be the only method by 10 which the Secretaries may operate the FCRPS in any way 11 that is not consistent with the reasonable and prudent al- 12 ternative set forth in the Supplemental Opinion. 13 SEC. 5. LIMITATION ON RESTRICTING FCRPS ELECTRICAL 14 GENERATION; CLARIFICATION. 15 (a) RESTRICTING FCRPS ELECTRICAL GENERA- 16 TION.—No structural modification, action, study, or engi- 17 neering plan that restricts electrical generation at any 18 FCRPS hydroelectric dam, or that limits navigation on 19 the Snake River in the State of Washington, Oregon, or 20 Idaho, shall proceed unless such proposal is specifically 21 and expressly authorized by a Federal statute enacted 22 after the date of the enactment of this Act. 23 (b) CLARIFICATION.—Nothing in this section affects 24 or interferes with the authority of the Secretaries to con- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:55 Apr 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1762.IH H1762 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 1762 IH duct operation and maintenance activities or make capital 1 improvements necessary to meet authorized project pur- 2 poses of FCRPS facilities. 3 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:55 Apr 06, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H1762.IH H1762 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS

Important: This plain English summary was generated by AI and is provided for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice. Always consult the official bill text on Congress.gov or a qualified attorney for legal matters.