Washington Congressional Delegation Proposing Bi-Partisan Hydropower Bill

4th District Rep. Dan Newhouse and Washington Senator Maria Cantwell have proposed a bill they say would improve permitting for pumped storage hydroelectric projects, create jobs in Central Washington, and protect Tribal interests and increase renewable energy production and storage.

Newhouse says the Pacific Northwest Pumped Storage Hydropower Development Act of 2021 would streamline permitting and encourage investment.

One such project is at Banks Lake where Columbia Basin Hydropower is proposing a $1.4 billion, 500-megawatt project that would pump water between Banks Lake and Lake Roosevelt to provide more energy storage and increase the use of renewable energy creating 1,000 construction jobs.