The United States and Canada postponed the ninth round of negotiations to modernize the Columbia River Treaty regime, which were originally scheduled for November 19-20 in Washington, D.C. The United States’ negotiating team would like additional time to complete preparations, with the aim of maximizing the productivity of the bilateral discussions. The next round will build on the September 10-11 round in Cranbrook, British Columbia.
The Department of State leads a U.S. negotiating team comprised of representatives from the Bonneville Power Administration; the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Northwestern Division; the Department of the Interior; and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. U.S. negotiators continue to use the U.S. Entity Regional Recommendation for the Future of the Columbia River Treaty after 2024 as a guide in these negotiations.
The U.S. negotiating team is holding regular Town Hall meetings throughout the Columbia River Basin, which enable the U.S. public to voice opinions regarding the modernization of the Columbia River Treaty regime. The U.S. negotiating team considers the input and views from the region’s states, Tribes, and stakeholders who live and work in the Columbia River Basin. The last Town Hall took place July 18 in Boise, Idaho. The next Town Hall will be scheduled soon.
For more information on the Treaty and upcoming Town Halls, please visit: https://2017-2021.state.gov/p/wha/ci/ca/topics/c78892.htm