CSPA Opposes New Subsidizes for Environmentally Damaging Hydropower Projects
by Bill Jennings, Executive Director, CSPA
June 8, 2009 -- CSPA joined a coalition of hydropower reform advocates in sending a 3 June 2009 letter to Jeff Bingaman, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, opposing Senator Lisa Murkowski's (R-Alaska) efforts to extend Renewable Energy Credits to an array of environmentally damaging hydropower projects.
The reform coalition supports the use of Renewable Energy Credits for efficiency improvements, capacity upgrades and hydropower added to existing non-hydropower dams in an environmentally responsible manner but strongly opposes efforts to extend the credits to new projects, like “pumped storage” and “lake taps” that have enormous potential for environmental harm.
The Coalition letter points out that “Hydropower dams of all sizes and types can significantly damage rivers, causing physical and chemical changes and having impacts on drinking water, recreation, fisheries, wildlife, wastewater disposal, and other non-power uses of public waters. Renewable energy credits should be limited to hydropower projects where these impacts are minimized.”
Murkowski's proposal would undermine current environmental safeguards and contribute little new renewal energy capacity. It would incentivize the worst kind of hydropower projects at the expense of environmental protection.
Coalition letter opposing credits