WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today released the following statement on the announcement of a preliminary agreement between the United States and Canada on the Columbia River Treaty.
“For 60 years, the Columbia River Treaty has provided coordinated flood control for the Pacific Northwest, in turn providing significant hydropower opportunities for both the United States and Canada, as well as irrigation and navigation throughout the region. In my home state of Idaho, all of these benefits have and continue to contribute to our economic growth and success. We have been working on a renewal of the treaty for several years.
“Today’s announcement of a preliminary agreement between the United States and Canada looks promising, but as always, I look forward to seeing all the details. I also expect that a final agreement will be submitted by the president to the Senate for our review.”
BACKGROUND:
The United States and Canada signed the Columbia River Treaty in 1961 to establish coordinated flood control and hydroelectric energy production throughout the Columbia River Basin. These benefits under the Treaty also allow for the transportation of goods through inland waterways and irrigation of crops. Negotiations for a modernized agreement began in 2017, ahead of the pre-planned flood control provisions expiring in 2024.
As Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Risch has diligently advocated for Idaho’s energy, irrigation, and navigation interests in Treaty negotiations and raised the issue at the highest levels of the U.S. and Canadian governments. In the Senate’s advice and consent role, the final Treaty will be reviewed and approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, followed by the full Senate.
