II 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 966 

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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 23, 2023 

Mr. RISCH (for himself and Mr. DAINES) introduced the following bill; which 

was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public 

Works 

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. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 The Act may be cited as the ‘‘Northwest Energy Se5 curity Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 

8 (1) FCRPS.—The term ‘‘FCRPS’’ means those 

9 portions of the Federal Columbia River Power SysVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:19 Apr 05, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S966.IS S966

pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
2 

•S 966 IS

1 tem that are the subject of the Supplemental Opin2 ion. 

3 (2) SECRETARIES.—The term ‘‘Secretaries’’ 

4 means— 

5 (A) the Secretary of the Interior, acting 

6 through the Commissioner of Reclamation; 

7 (B) the Secretary of Energy, acting 

8 through the Administrator of the Bonneville 

9 Power Administration; and 

10 (C) the Secretary of the Army, acting 

11 through the Chief of Engineers. 

12 (3) SUPPLEMENTAL OPINION.—The term ‘‘Sup13 plemental Opinion’’ means the document entitled 

14 ‘‘Columbia River System Operations Environmental 

15 Impact Statement Record of Decision’’ and dated 

16 September 2020. 

17 SEC. 3. OPERATION OF FCRPS. 

18 The Secretaries shall operate the FCRPS in a man19 ner consistent with the reasonable and prudent alternative 

20 described in the Supplemental Opinion. 

21 SEC. 4. AMENDMENTS TO SUPPLEMENTAL OPINION. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding section 3, the 

23 Secretaries may amend portions of the Supplemental 

24 Opinion and operate the FCRPS in accordance with those 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
3 

•S 966 IS

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 safe4 ty or transmission and grid reliability; or 

5 (2) the actions, operations, or other require6 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 al12 ternative set forth in the Supplemental Opinion. 

13 SEC. 5. LIMITATION ON RESTRICTING FCRPS ELECTRICAL 

14 GENERATION; CLARIFICATION. 

15 (a) RESTRICTING FCRPS ELECTRICAL GENERA16 TION.—No structural modification, action, study, or engi17 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 con25 duct operation and maintenance activities or make capital 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
4 

•S 966 IS

1 improvements necessary to meet authorized project pur2 poses of FCRPS facilities. 

Æ 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB