Political Quotes

“I thank Mr. Rush, our ranking member of the subcommittee, for yielding. Mr. Chair, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 3043. I support hydropower. It can deliver low-carbon, affordable power if it is well-sited and managed. But these facilities, which are licensed for 30 to 50 years, can do enormous harm to fisheries, agriculture, and recreational cultural resources if not properly overseen. The hydropower licensing process can be more efficient, but electric utilities should not be permitted to operate without license conditions that ensure other public interests are met. As I look at H.R. 3043 and weigh it against the list of stakeholders with interests in the rivers and watersheds that provide hydroelectric facilities their fuel, I see a bill that is unbalanced, regressive, and dangerous; that will harm farmers, fishermen, boaters, Tribes, and drinking water. H.R. 3043 will allow private hydropower companies to use public water resources to generate power and profit, but without mitigating the negative impacts of their facilities on others who rely on our rivers, and without complying with modern environmental laws. H.R. 3043, is a direct assault on States' rights, Tribal rights, and it undercuts major environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Endangered Species Act.…”