Weekly Columns and Op-Eds
Weekly Column from Congressman Gosar “Arizona’s Hydroelectric Potential is Critical to the Country’s Energy Future”
Washington, DC,
November 17, 2011
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30-Sep-11
CONTACT: Apryl Marie Fogel or Hannah Loy 202-225-2315 Weekly Column from Congressman Gosar “Arizona’s Hydroelectric Potential is Critical to the Country’s Energy Future” By, Congressman Paul Gosar (AZ-01) In the West, we have an old saying, “Whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting over.” Water is central to our way of life in Arizona. That is why I requested to and sit on the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power. This committee is responsible for matters concerning America’s water resources, federal irrigation projects, interstate water issues and the generation of electric power from federal water projects. This committee assignment provides me an important avenue to advocate on behalf of Arizona’s water interests, including our hydroelectric power generation assets. Hydropower is the highest source of non-carbon emitting energy in the world and accounts for approximately 75 percent of the United States’ total renewable electricity generation, making it the leading renewable energy source. Our state is home to some of the country’s most important hydropower facilities, such as the Glen Canyon Dam. One of our committee’s primary focuses has been examining excessive and burdensome federal policies and regulations that are handicapping hydropower infrastructure and development. Some of these types of nonsensical regulations create man-made shortages, which in turn lead to high unemployment and increased water, energy, and food prices and unnecessary taxpayer spending. For example, the Glen Canyon Dam lost a third of its hydropower generation - over 400 megawatts or enough to power almost half a million homes - due to an environmental experiment. This experiment had an average economic cost of nearly $50 million per year, totaling more than $435 million for the nine-year study period. The cost of replacing that power the dam could have produced is borne by you - the customer. Despite good intentions, some federal environmental laws have been twisted by overzealous bureaucrats, regulatory duplication and litigation by non-governmental organizations, in turn stifling job growth while doing little to help the environment. This is why I support H.R. 1719, the Endangered Species Compliance and Transparency Act of 2011, legislation introduced by Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA). This legislation requires the four federal Power Marketing Administrations (PMAs), the entities that sell electricity generated at federal hydropower facilities, to estimate and report costs associated with environmental compliance. I firmly believe consumers have the right to know how much of their electric bill is related to ever-increasing regulation compliance. Additionally, the data compiled will assist Congress in its efforts to implement common sense regulatory reforms. In addition to protecting our existing facilities, I have been a strong advocate for the expansion of small-scale hydropower. Arizona possesses vast untapped hydropower potential but needs the government to streamline regulations to turn that potential into a reality. There are two pieces of legislation I would like to highlight that do just that:
These are just a few common sense initiatives I am pursuing on behalf of our states water interests. More information can be found on my website or by calling my office. I will continue to utilize my position on the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power to promoting low-cost, renewable and emissions-free hydroelectricity generation and restoring common-sense to federal regulations. As always, your suggestions are always welcome. Together we can get our country back on the path towards prosperity. ### |