House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (WA-04) released the following statement today after the Department of Energy announced that it would restore the Bonneville Power Administration’s (BPA) Human Resources authorities:

“Today’s announcement by the U.S. Department of Energy is a positive step towards fully restoring the BPA’s long-held regional autonomy. The actions taken to correct past unfair hiring practices at the BPA will ultimately help restore and support its important mission to provide clean and affordable power to many American families and small businesses in the Pacific Northwest. To finally put this issue to rest, however, the Obama Administration must also restore the normal chain of command for BPA’s General Counsel position. Bonneville’s decision-making autonomy depends upon having sound legal services in the region, not at the Department of Energy.”