Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Rep. Adam Gray of California announced on May 14 that their Rural Jobs and Hydropower Expansion Act passed the House Natural Resources Committee with bipartisan support.
The legislation aims to streamline the permitting process for non-federal hydropower development on Reclamation projects, which supporters say will help create rural jobs, lower energy costs, and boost energy independence.
“I’m proud that my Rural Jobs and Hydropower Expansion Act passed out of Committee today with bipartisan support,” said Rep. Lauren Boebert (CO-04). “This is an important first step to get this vital legislation to the President’s desk. Cutting red tape and unleashing new hydropower development will create good-paying rural jobs, lower energy costs for families and businesses, and strengthen our energy independence.”
Rep. Adam Gray (CA-13) said, “Hydropower is critical to both water storage and energy reliability in the Central Valley and across the West. If we are serious about increasing water supply and lowering energy costs, we cannot keep burying projects in red tape. The Rural Jobs and Hydropower Expansion Act will help cut through delays and create a faster, more predictable process to deliver water and generate power.” Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee Bruce Westerman added: “Hydropower is an important energy source for rural communities across the West. Rep. Boebert’s legislation encourages the development of non-federal hydropower projects and creates jobs for rural Americans. I applaud her for her commitment to ensuring that American families have affordable and reliable sources of energy.”
According to information provided in the announcement, current non-federal hydropower developments often require permits from both the Bureau of Reclamation and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), leading to delays due to overlapping jurisdictions; nearly 70 non-federal projects have been subject to dual permitting processes while a dozen are still in development stages requiring dual permits.
The bill would give exclusive permitting authority within Reclamation projects to the Bureau of Reclamation as a way to resolve these issues by creating a one-stop shop approach.
