12.13.23

Cantwell, Risch Call for Swift Conclusion of Columbia River Treaty Modernization

“We urge you to renew the focus of your teams to complete their work and to consult closely with the U.S. Congress and Canadian Parliament on the path ahead,” the Senators wrote

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, on the 10-year anniversary of a key milestone in the Columbia River Treaty negotiation process, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-ID), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sent a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urging them to finalize an agreement between the U.S. and Canada to modernize and strengthen the treaty.

“A modernized treaty regime will benefit both of our countries by strengthening flood response and creating opportunities for better management of our shared water resources to overcome new challenges,” the members wrote to President Biden and Prime Minister Trudeau. “Our shared energy relationship can include cooperation on grid modernization, joint work on an upgraded inter-tie to enable more Canadian electricity to be exported to U.S. markets such the American Southwest, and collaboration on technology solutions like artificial intelligence to improve systems’ efficiency and efficacy.”

The letter's release comes a decade to the day after publication of the "regional recommendation," an extensive, multi-year Columbia River Treaty Review conducted in consultation with the region’s states, federally recognized Tribes, and hundreds of stakeholders. 

For more than 60 years, the Columbia River Treaty has been used to manage stewardship of the Columbia River Basin across the United States and Canada, guiding hydropower operations and flood risk management to benefit people on both sides of the border. Most provisions of the Treaty can continue indefinitely without actions from the U.S. or Canada, except the flood control provisions. If the Treaty is not modernized, the flood control provisions of the Columbia River Treaty will expire in September 2024 and the U.S. will enter into “called-upon” flood control operations, which will require the U.S. to request Canada’s assistance for flood control on the U.S. side of the Columbia River Basin.

Sens. Cantwell and Risch have led the Pacific Northwest delegation in efforts to modernize the Columbia River Treaty. Both leaders have consistently met with U.S. negotiators, the Biden Administration, and Canadian leaders, including Prime Minister Trudeau, to urge them to prioritize Treaty negotiations and work towards an agreement that benefits U.S. and Canadian interests. Last March, Senators Cantwell and Risch led a letter, signed by the entire Pacific Northwest Congressional delegation, to President Joe Biden asking him to help expedite a final agreement between the U.S. and Canada to modernize and strengthen the Columbia River Treaty.  

The full text of today’s letter is available below and HERE.

President Biden and Prime Minister Trudeau:

We were pleased that the United States and Canada agreed to intensify work to modernize the Columbia River Treaty when you met last March. 

A modernized treaty regime will benefit both of our countries by strengthening flood response and creating opportunities for better management of our shared water resources to overcome new challenges. Our shared energy relationship can include cooperation on grid modernization, joint work on an upgraded inter-tie to enable more Canadian electricity to be exported to U.S. markets such the American Southwest, and collaboration on technology solutions like artificial intelligence to improve systems’ efficiency and efficacy.

The United States and Canada have long benefited from our close and extraordinarily positive relationship. We should avoid the uncertainty and potential disputes that could come from any further delays in concluding negotiations over modernization of the Columbia River Treaty.

The current flood risk management provisions change to a less-defined approach on September 16, 2024. After this date, the United States will be required to compensate Canada based on economic loss when it calls upon Canada for reservoir storage to prevent flooding in the United States. Both this scenario as well as any new obligations under modernized treaty provisions will require Congressional action. The U.S. Senate will have a condensed legislative calendar next year. Additionally, there will be many other important priorities competing for limited floor time. 

The current Canadian entitlement is not acceptable to us and to many other members of the U.S. Congress. Any compensation must be reasonable and defensible for funding to be approved by the U.S. Congress. 

We urge you to renew the focus of your teams to complete their work and to consult closely with the U.S. Congress and Canadian Parliament on the path ahead.

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