(Washington, D.C.)  Congresswoman Cathy McMorris today joined the Northwest Congressional Delegation in urging the Bush Administration to reject efforts in its FY 08 budget that would change the Bonneville Power Administration’s (BPA) rate structure or require market based rates.

“Our region’s economy was built on inexpensive hydro-power,” said McMorris. “I was pleased to join with our regional delegation to ask the Administration to leave BPA alone and not jeopardize our energy rates.”

The letter, signed by Members from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana, asks the Administration to consider the following three areas as it prepares its FY 2008 budget. Those areas include opposing efforts to: require federal power marketing administrations, such as Bonneville, to sell power at market based rates; change the rate structure at BPA, and alter the accounting treatment of third-party financing arrangements for infrastructure improvements.

Over the past two years McMorris has testified before the House Budget Committee in opposition to the changes the Administration has proposed making to BPA.