The White House announced Thursday that it is close to securing a new treaty with Canada dealing with flood control and hydropower production on the Columbia River, reaching a preliminary deal less than two months before major provisions are set to expire.
Both President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced an “agreement in principle” to modernize the Columbia River Treaty, which governs both hydropower operations and flood risk management on a more than 1,200-mile-long international waterway.
The updated treaty will also incorporate measures to ensure ecosystem health and the cultural values of both Native American and Canadian Indigenous nations, the White House said.
“After 60 years, the Treaty needs updating to reflect our changing climate and the changing needs of the communities that depend on this vital waterway,” Biden said in a statement.
