Sen. Murray wants Columbia River Treaty raised at Trudeau visit

The United States should put the Columbia River Treaty on the table when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visits the White House today, said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.

She raised the issue as Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz testified Wednesday before the Senate Appropriations Energy and Water Development Subcommittee.

The U.S. administration was given a regional consensus on modernizing the treaty with Canada more than two years ago.

Congressional leaders from the Northwest have urged the administration to begin formal negotiations with Canada, but little progress has been made.

“We can’t afford to wait once a new administration gets in — whoever it is — to re-educate everybody, have new people appointed and get it started,” Murray said. “It needs to get started now.”

Moniz said he met with Secretary of State John Kerry and both agreed on the importance of advancing talks.

The treaty governs how Canada and the United States divide the water supply from the Columbia River, and has implications for fish, flood control and hydropower production.

This story was originally published March 9, 2016 at 7:55 PM with the headline "Sen. Murray wants Columbia River Treaty raised at Trudeau visit."