02.21.05

Cantwell's "Stop the Rate Hike" Petition Drive Nets Over 6,500 Signatures in First Week

Senator meets with Cowlitz County leaders, vows to defeatBush plan to hike Northwest power rates by a billion dollars Cowlitz County residents could see power billsrise another $225 each under Administration proposal

LONGVIEW, WA – Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA)'s online petition drive against the Bush Administration's plan to hike North west power rates netted more than 6,500 signatures in its first week. Cantwell announced the petition's progress at a meeting today with Cowlitz County leaders who oppose the plan, including local businesses, elected officials, utility and community action program representatives.

In Cowlitz County, average residential utility bills have already risen about 90 percent, or nearly doubled, since 2000. The Bush Administration's proposal would add about another 50 percent to these bills, or about $225 a year for each household. In addition to making a dent in the pocketbooks of individual families, the plan would also cost businesses thousands of dollars. A recent economic analysis calculated that the rate hike plan would cost the states of Washington and Oregon up to 60,000 lost jobs over the next five years.

"Visiting Cowlitz County, it's even more apparent to me that we can absolutely not afford this billion dollar rate hike," Cantwell said. "This proposal adds tremendous insult to the already substantial economic injury inflicted on us by the Western energy crisis. I will use every tool at my disposal to defeat the Bush Administration's North west rate hike plan."

In its Fiscal Year 2006 budget released February 7, the Bush Administration proposed increasing the rates of the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) until they are roughly the same as rates being charged elsewhere in national power markets. Since its creation in the 1930s, BPA's rates have been based on costs—rather than market prices, which are typically about double. Bonneville provides about 70 percent of the power consumed in the State of Washington as a whole. Cowlitz County Public Utility District receives about two-thirds of its power supply from BPA.

In response to the rate hike proposal, Cantwell on February 11 launched her online petition drive, joined by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), as well as dozens of public power officials who also oppose the plan. On March 3, Cantwell will report the results of her petition to the Department of Energy, when the Secretary is expected to testify before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, of which Cantwell is a member. The "Stop the Rate Hike" online petition can be accessed at http://cantwell.senate.gov.

Organizations that have already come out in opposition to the North west rate hike plan include:

the Public Power Council; North west Public Power Association; Washington PUD Association; Oregon PUD Association; Oregon Municipal Electric Utilities; the American Public Power Association; the National Rural Electric Co-op Association; and the Washington State Labor Council.

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