POWER Act

Key Points

• This bill, introduced by Representative Newhouse, would stop the government from tearing down federal dams if doing so would cause negative economic or environmental impacts. Specifically, a dam cannot be removed if it would increase carbon emissions or the cost of shipping goods by more than 5 percent.
• The policy protects consumers by banning the closure of hydropower dams if the move would raise electricity bills by more than 5 percent. It also requires that any lost power be fully replaced within 30 days to ensure the local power grid remains stable.
• Farmers and businesses that use rivers to move products are protected under this plan. If removing a dam makes a river harder for ships to travel or makes it more expensive to move food and other goods, the dam must stay in place.
• The bill focuses heavily on the Pacific Northwest and Western states, including Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. It prevents any changes that would make the power grid in these areas less reliable compared to the previous year.
• Before any dam is removed, several government departments—including Agriculture, Energy, and Transportation—must study the impact and talk to state officials to make sure the change won't hurt the local economy or environment.