WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Representative Matt Rosendale joined Western Caucus Chairman, Representative Dan Newhouse (WA-04), and other members of the Congressional Western Caucus on an energy field tour through Central Washington, hosted by the Western Caucus Foundation. Vice Chair Bruce Westerman (AR-04), Reps. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02), and Cliff Bentz (OR-02) joined to learn about the region’s all-of-the-above energy portfolio and see the benefits of the Columbia and Snake River dam system firsthand.
“I am grateful to Representative Newhouse and the Western Caucus Foundation for inviting us on an energy tour in Washington,” said Representative Rosendale. “Domestic energy production is critical to our national security, and Central Washington serves as an example of a common sense ‘all-of-the-above’ energy strategy, providing the northwestern United States with the proper energy resources it needs to flourish. I will continue to work with Representative Newhouse and my Western Caucus colleagues to promote U.S. energy production and fight to ensure that radical environmentalists do not cripple our energy production capabilities.”
“Central Washington embraces an all-of-the-above energy portfolio in a way that should be an example for the nation,” said Chairman Newhouse. “Clean, renewable, and baseload energy resources like nuclear energy and our powerful hydroelectric dams produce reliable, affordable power – not just for our state but for the entire Pacific Northwest. As we continue to diversify and strengthen our nation’s energy portfolio, I look forward to continuing to share our story. I am so proud to bring my colleagues to my home district, particularly to highlight the important role Central Washington’s communities play in America’s energy security and independence.”
The lawmakers, congressional staff, and national stakeholders participated in a tour of the Ice Harbor Dam and Lock, where they met with local agriculture, irrigation, transportation, and energy leaders to learn about hydropower generation, as well as the impacts and advantages of the Columbia and Snake River dam system. U.S. Army Corps experts led the tour of the dam where they shared their comprehensive work to improve efficient power generation and salmon recovery.
Members also participated in an energy policy roundtable at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), which featured panels on grid stability and resilience and the future of nuclear energy technologies. Dr. Steve Ashby, Director of PNNL, Maria Korsnick, President and CEO of the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI), and Bob Schuetz, CEO of Energy Northwest, also delivered keynote remarks to the group about Central Washington’s leadership in energy advancement.
Lastly, the group met with Presidents of the Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and California State Farm Bureaus, as well as local producers and agriculture advocates to discuss the challenges and priorities of western agriculture. They also toured the Washington State University Wine Science Center, one of the nation’s leading viticulture and enology hubs.
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