Larry Bucshon: “Unnecessary government red tape is preventing us from taking advantage of clean, renewable hydropower generation at…”

“Unnecessary government red tape is preventing us from taking advantage of clean, renewable hydropower generation at existing nonpowered dams. The current regulatory process simply takes too long, taking up to a decade for the project to be approved. We can change this by supporting America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, which includes the Promoting Hydropower Development at Existing Nonpowered Dams Act, which I authored. This legislation instructs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, FERC, to create an expedited permitting process that will result in a final decision on an application in 2 years or less. The legislation also requires FERC, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Department of the Interior to develop a list of existing nonpowered dams that have the greatest potential for hydropower development. Streamlining the permitting process will incentivize investments in clean hydropower development and help modernize our existing infrastructure. I ask my colleagues to join me today in supporting this legislation. Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Again, I want to particularly congratulate the chairman on his accomplishment of resuscitating regular WRDA reauthorizations, and this, of course, will be the last time in which he will be on the floor on this particular issue.…”