U.S. Columbia River Treaty Negotiator Jill Smail will lead a town hall on December 16, 2019, in Richland, Washington, on the modernization of the Columbia River Treaty regime. The town hall, co-hosted with the Northwest Power and Conservation Council (NWPCC), is free of charge, open to the public, and will take place in the U.S. Federal Building Auditorium, 825 Jadwin Ave., from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Attendees are advised to bring government-issued photo ID and to allow time for security screening to enter the federal building. At the town hall, U.S. government representatives will provide an overview of the negotiations and take questions from the public. Feel free to send questions in advance to ColumbiaRiverTreaty@state.gov. For more information on the town hall, including call-in details, please see the Department of State’s Treaty website, which we will update as the meeting date approaches.

The Columbia River Treaty is an international model for transboundary water cooperation. The 1964 treaty’s flood risk and hydropower operations have provided substantial benefits to millions of people on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border. The treaty has also facilitated support for the river’s ecosystem. More information can be found on the Department of State’s Treaty website.

As the United States continues bilateral negotiations with Canada, the U.S. Entity Regional Recommendation for the Future of the Columbia River Treaty after 2024, a consensus document published in 2013 after five years of consultations among the Tribes, states, stakeholders, public, and federal agencies, continues to serve as a guide. The U.S. negotiating team is led by the U.S. Department of State and comprises 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.

To receive periodic updates on events and developments related to the modernization of the Columbia River Treaty regime, please contact ColumbiaRiverTreaty@state.gov. For press inquiries, please contact WHA_Press@state.gov.

To dial-in to the Town Hall on December 16, please call 1-800-356-8278, and input code 390467.