Bureau of Reclamation Pumped Storage Hydropower Development Act

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Never voted on. It didn't reach a floor vote before the 116th Congress ended, so it expired. A bill has to be introduced again to be considered in a new Congress.

D CantwellSponsor

No cosponsors.

Bureau of Reclamation Pumped Storage Hydropower Development Act

What it does: CRS summary · Reported to Senate · Oct 23, 2019

Bureau of Reclamation Pumped Storage Hydropower Development Act

This bill provides the Department of the Interior exclusive authority to develop hydropower facilities in certain instances and contains other related provisions.

Specifically, Interior shall have exclusive authority to develop small conduit hydropower using Bureau of Reclamation facilities and pumped storage hydropower that exclusively use bureau reservoirs. Currently, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) also has regulatory authority over some of the bureau infrastructure involved in such projects, so some projects require approval from both Interior and FERC.

The bill also imposes various requirements related to certain proposed projects involving specified tribes in Washington State. Before Interior may issue a lease to use power generated from such a project, the parties involved must agree to a study plan that lays out certain information, time lines, and procedures for addressing issues. Such a lease must also meet certain requirements, such as conditions to ensure that the project will not interfere with the tribes' hunting and fishing rights.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov

About this bill and sources

Official title: Bureau of Reclamation Pumped Storage Hydropower Development Act

Latest action (Oct 23, 2019): Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 260.

Policy area: Water Resources Development · Origin: Senate · Introduced: Jun 5, 2019

Official page on Congress.gov · Bill text (GovInfo) · Status record (XML)

No recorded floor vote found.