Bill Introduced to Report Energy Cost of Endangered Species Act

US House Natural Resources Chair Doc Hastings (R-WA), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), and 8 others introduced (HR 1719) The Endangered Species Compliance & Transparency Act. The bill would require Power Marketing Administrations including the BPA to report the costs associated with the ESA.  “The benefits of hydropower aren’t being fully tapped because of billions of dollars in excessive regulatory costs to mitigate unproven environmental effects,” said Rep. McMorris Rodgers. “In the PNW, for example, 30% of wholesale power rates go to compliance programs for endangered salmon.”