Doc Hastings: “I strongly support H.R. 523, legislation I introduced to convey certain Bureau of Land Management land to the Douglas…”

“I strongly support H.R. 523, legislation I introduced to convey certain Bureau of Land Management land to the Douglas County Public Utility District in Washington state. The Douglas County PUD operates the Wells Hydropower Project on the Columbia River, in North Central Washington. The PUD manages the Wells Hydroelectric Dam and the associated reservoir for multiple purposes, including power generation, fish and wildlife protection, and recreation. Almost all of the land encompassing the project area is owned by the PUD, with the exception of several small BLM holdings. Passing this legislation enables the PUD to manage the project in a far more efficient manner. It also allows the BLM to concentrate its limited resources elsewhere, in areas where there are large contiguous blocks of BLM land. It is clear that we can achieve a better and more efficient management of our resources with this land conveyance. In addition, since the Douglas PUD is a public agency under Washington state law, this conveyance simply moves land from the control of one public agency to the control of another agency. It is also important to note that the Douglas PUD has a stellar reputation as a steward of the environment.”