New 'Defending our Dams Act' Bans Federal Study of Lower Snake River Dam Removal

The newly introduced “Defending our Dams Act” is short, but its impact is massive: it essentially locks the status quo for four major dams in Washington State by cutting off the money needed to even think about changing them. This bill targets the four Lower Snake River dams—Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose, and Lower Granite—and makes it illegal to use any Federal dollars to study, allow, or lead to the breaching, changing the function of, or removing these dams (Sec. 2).

Think of it this way: if you’re trying to decide whether to repair your old car or buy a new one, this bill says the government can’t even pay for the mechanic to look under the hood and give you an estimate for the repair, let alone the replacement. It stops any federal exploration of alternatives for the power generation, flood control, or navigation services these dams provide, which means the government can’t fund research into cleaner energy replacements or better environmental solutions for salmon migration.

The 'Hands Off' Mandate for Infrastructure

This is a huge deal for anyone invested in the future of the Columbia River Basin, especially those concerned about the environment. By banning the use of federal money for studies, the bill prevents objective analysis of whether these dams are still the best long-term solution, environmentally or economically. For environmental groups and those focused on salmon recovery, this is a major roadblock, as it stops any federally-backed effort to explore removing the dams to help fish populations migrate (Sec. 2).

On the flip side, this brings stability and certainty for businesses and communities that rely on the current setup. If you’re in the shipping industry that uses the river for navigation, or if you’re a power ratepayer who relies on the consistent, non-carbon-emitting power from these dams, this bill guarantees that the infrastructure you depend on isn't going anywhere anytime soon. This provides a clear win for maintaining the existing energy mix and transportation routes.

Who Gets the Final Say on Water Flow?

The bill also changes how water is released, specifically regarding “special water spillage operations.” These operations are often done to help migrating juvenile salmon pass the dams more safely. Under this act, the Secretary of the Army (who runs the Army Corps of Engineers) can’t conduct these special spillage operations without getting official approval from the Administrator of the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) (Sec. 2).

Why does this matter? The Army Corps is focused on things like navigation and flood control, while the BPA is focused on marketing the power generated by the dams. Giving the BPA Administrator a strong veto over spillage operations means that decisions which could affect power generation—and therefore revenue—now require the sign-off of the entity focused on power marketing. This grants the BPA significant influence over environmental flow decisions, potentially prioritizing power over fish passage, though the bill does require them to consider the operations of the entire Columbia River System when making the decision.