Give Consumers The Right To Know How Much The Endangered Species Act Is Costing Them

Since your constituents receive federal hydropower, they are also impacted by Endangered Species Act (ESA) compliance.  As supporters of H.R. 4857, the Endangered Species Compliance and Transparency Act of 2006, we ask that you cosponsor this important legislation to provide electricity cost information to consumers in your district. 

Over the years, ESA requirements have significantly altered the operations of our federal dams, reservoirs and in siting federal electricity transmission lines.  Under law, those costs are passed on by the federal government to electricity consumers who receive federal hydropower.

Some examples:

• In the Pacific Northwest , ESA costs related to endangered salmon have risen considerably over the last several years due to federal court-mandates and other compliance programs.  ESA costs account for almost 30% of wholesale federal electricity costs in the Northwest.
• In the Sacramento , Colorado , Platte and Missouri river basins, the federal government had to modify its hydropower generation services and flow requirements to account for ESA mandates.  This resulted in lost federal hydropower generation and has led to an average of $96 million per year in ESA costs that are passed on to consumers.
• The designation of the Interior least tern affects federal dam hydropower generation serving consumers in Texas , Oklahoma , Missouri and Arkansas .

Our legislation simply requires the federal agencies who sell federal power to be more transparent in how they list costs associated with ESA compliance.  This is important, considering that most consumers are not aware of how ESA is affecting their electricity bills.  In fact, a recent poll in the Pacific Northwest found that 70% of consumers either didn’t know how much they paid for salmon recovery or believe that less than 5% of their monthly bills go towards salmon recovery. 

At a time when energy costs are increasing, consumers have a right to know where their money is being spent.  In order for electricity customers to make an informed decision about ESA costs, the first step is to provide transparency in consumer costs.

Our Nation’s forefathers rightly demanded that our government be accountable and open to its people.  This bill embodies that notion.