Political Quotes

“The substitute amendment that we will consider shortly provides Indian Tribes with authority to speak for themselves with respect to the hydropower licensing process. Currently, Mr. Chair, the agencies of the Departments of the Interior and Commerce proposed conditions to protect Tribal reservations. If the substitute is enacted, Tribes that have sufficient capacity can assume responsibility for protecting their own reservations. {time} 1445 The Tribal authority provision is absolutely very important and long overdue. As sovereign entities, Tribes have a status different from that of States and Federal agencies. They should be negotiating on their own behalf to protect their own interests. Mr. Chair, hydropower projects, a number of which were designed and built over the objections of Tribes, resulted in devastating losses of Tribal lands and fisheries. We can and must do better. Hydropower projects can be designed, upgraded, and operated in ways that lower the environmental costs and preserve other important uses of the river. Current law and current regulations already provide for consultation with Tribes. In fact, under the integrated license process, applicants are required to consult with Tribes 5 years before the current license expires if they plan to seek a renewed license. The integrated license process was designed specifically for the more complex, controversial hydropower projects, either new projects or relicensing of existing projects. Mr.…”