The commentary by Bill Arthur and Marc Sullivan highlighted the Bonneville Power Administration’s misguided decision to join a more costly, less reliable, less environmentally friendly energy market (“BPA adds to long history of poor resource management,” The Herald, July 19). That decision has not gone unchallenged. A lawsuit has been filed charging that BPA violated the cost-effectiveness mandates of the Northwest Power Act and evaded the environmental analysis required by the National Environmental Policy Act. As co-chairs of the Sierra Club’s Sno-Isle Group, we are proud that the Sierra Club is among the plaintiffs in that lawsuit.
It’s noteworthy that Seattle’s electricity provider, Seattle City Light, is a member organization of one of the other plaintiffs, the Northwest Energy Coalition. City Light issued a press release explaining their support for the lawsuit: “BPA’s decision to join Markets+ is inconsistent with its responsibility to maximize customer benefits in accordance with sound business principles.”
What Herald readers need to know is that Snohomish PUD, unlike Seattle City Light, is on the wrong side of this issue. The PUD is not only backing BPA’s inexplicable decision, but choosing to participate themselves in that more costly, less reliable, less environmentally friendly energy market. Snohomish PUD customers need to tell their utility that they expect better from the local monopoly provider of such an essential service.
Nancy Johnson and Cynthia Jones
co-chairs, Sno-Isle Group
Sierra Club
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