ICYMI: Newhouse Introduces Bill to Expand & Promote Hydropower Production

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) joined Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) to introduce the Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act to expand clean, renewable, reliable, and affordable hydropower production in America and promote the innovation of the next generation of hydroelectric technology.

"Central Washington is heavily dependent on hydropower and the hydroelectric dams that provide countless benefits to our region," said Rep. Newhouse. "Supporting and promoting hydropower as a clean, renewable, and reliable source of energy is exactly what we should be doing as we move toward a clean energy future. Our local scientists and researchers have demonstrated that – through innovation and responsible use – we can continue to improve upon our technologies and create an even greater future for hydroelectric technology."

The Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act will:

• Expand Hydropower Production: The bill affirms the role of hydropower as an essential renewable resource and updates Federal renewable purchase requirements to include hydropower.
• Modernize Licensing Process: The bill designates the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as the lead agency for the purposes of all Federal authorizations and for complying with any required State or local environmental reviews. The bill also improves coordination among permitting agencies by setting schedules, clarifying responsibilities, and establishing mechanisms to resolve disputes among licensing participants.
• Promote Next-Generation Hydropower: The bill provides special licensing terms for small hydropower projects that are unlikely to jeopardize threatened or endangered species or critical habitat and expedites licensing for next-generation hydropower projects that utilize technologies that protect, mitigate, or enhance environmental resources.
• Reduce Market Barriers: The bill requires a report to Congress containing recommendations to reduce barriers to the development of conventional, pumped-storage, conduit, and emerging hydropower technologies. The bill also encourages proper compensation for the full range of services that hydropower provides to the electric grid, including grid reliability and the cost-effective integration of renewables.

Click here for the full text of the bill.

The legislation has garnered support from renewable energy industry leaders:

"This legislation would support the development of clean, low-emission hydropower while encouraging innovation for the next-generation in the hydropower industry...The bill increases regulatory certainty for private-sector investments into the U.S. fleet, one of our nation's largest renewable energy resources." - Rich Powell, Executive Director, ClearPath Action

Read ClearPath's full letter of support here.

"As work continues to decarbonize the power sector, hydropower's unique benefits are an essential part of any climate solution. CRES strongly supports the unwavering efforts of U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) to remove barriers needed to harness hydropower's full potential. Elimination of these barriers is necessary to ensure a resilient and reliable clean energy grid. The Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act is a critical step forward to create jobs and bolster American's competitiveness in the energy sector." - Heather Reams, Executive Director, Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions

"Hydropower is an abundant source of clean energy in the Pacific Northwest and across the country. The Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act will ensure that hydropower continues to play a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and maintaining American energy independence. The American Conservation Coalition thanks Representative McMorris Rodgers for her leadership on this important issue." - American Conservation Coalition

"The Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act recognizes hydropower as an essential part of America's emerging clean energy grid, and we applaud Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) for her leadership. If the nation is serious about achieving deep decarbonization, energy and climate policy must reflect the critical contribution that hydropower provides. This bill puts us on that path by modernizing hydropower's licensing process and working to ensure that hydropower is properly valued in energy markets for the reliability services it provides to the grid. NHA believes that we can both protect rivers and maintain a thriving hydropower industry. We look forward to our continued work with the Energy and Commerce Committee and other interested parties to advance clean energy legislation that achieves both these goals." - Malcolm Woolf, President and CEO of the National Hydropower Association