Last week Jaime Herrera Beutler sent out a press release that gave her thoughts and concerns regarding the President's proposal to sell off the Bonneville Power Administration’s (BPA) assets. I was glad to read that Herrera Beutler is against this proposal.
I agree with Herrera Beutler in that privatizing the BPA by selling it to a private company is not the right decision. Here is a copy of the press release:
“The President’s proposal to sell off the Bonneville Power Administration’s assets in his budget released today is a non-starter for residents and employers throughout the entire Northwest.
“For decades, ratepayers have made financial investments in and had say over hydropower infrastructure that provides our region with the cleanest, most affordable and most reliable energy in the nation. That opportunity has been afforded by the unique and sustainable model made possible by the BPA.
“If this were sold off to a private bidder, residents would most certainly face higher monthly energy bills and the needs of rural communities would likely be overlooked. Rather than selling off this self-financed asset for a one-time ‘credit card’ payment to the U.S. Treasury, I would encourage this Administration to emulate the BPA’s model in other regions of the country.
“As a member of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee that directs spending of taxpayer dollars, we’ve never once had to appropriate money to the BPA. To the contrary, the BPA has made 33 consecutive debt payments to the U.S. Treasury that exceed $27 billion. This responsible financial stewardship has allowed BPA to keep its commitment to providing low-cost power to residents of the Northwest.
“Ending this would be a significant blow to our region’s economy for minimal gain, and as in the past, I expect this proposal to be rejected.”
Laura Venneri
Publisher, The Reflector
