Congress passes two hydropower bills during a summer of gridlock

By Jordan Collins
Mintz Levin

The 113th Congress, which is on track to pass fewer bills than any recent Congress, did pass two hydropower bills that were signed by President Obama on August 9, 2013. The two bills, the Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act of 2013 (“HERA”) and the Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act (“Reclamation Act”), will expand the federal government’s authority to develop hydropower on existing water resources and streamline the permitting process for new, small hydropower projects.

Although in the past four years Congress has extended tax credits for renewable projects, notably one for wind energy, this is the first significant piece of energy legislation since 2009. The bills do not make major changes to the hydropower permitting, licensing and development process, but rather take small steps to speed up the production of hydropower in the U.S.

Both HERA and the Reclamation Act Amendment passed the House and Senate with overwhelming majorities. Read more