House Energy Subcommittee urged to improve hydropower permitting processes

Witnesses at a House Energy Subcommittee hearing this week called for increased certainty and
streamlining of permitting processes for hydropower resources.

“The length, redundancy, and opacity of the federal permitting processes that govern the timeline for new hydropower on existing dams is a significant barrier to additional capital being invested into this sector…” Ramya Swaminathan, CEO of Rye Development, said. “Duplication and opacity in the overall federal process, both at FERC and USACE, must be minimized with regulatory risks throughout the overall
federal permitting process being sequentially taken ‘off the table.’”

The subcommittee also assessed the federal licensing process and suggestions to improve cooperation between government agencies, encourage new infrastructure, and ensure consumer access to dependable
and affordable electricity generated with hydropower.

“The regulatory environment for hydropower has become increasingly challenging. Licensing new hydropower facilities and relicensing existing facilities requires extensive consultation with multiple federal, state, and local government entities,” Subcommittee Chair Fred Upton (R-MI) said. “With sound policy and smarter regulations, hydropower could have a very bright future. Updating and modernizing hydropower infrastructure will incentivize economic development, create jobs, and strengthen energy security.”

Full committee Chair Greg Walden (R-OR) noted the potential economic and environmental benefits of increasing hydropower production.

“The potential increase in hydropower production would boost job growth, increase economic investment, facilitate the use of wind and other intermittent renewables, and avoid harmful emissions from the electric power sector,” Walden said. “As the subcommittee continues its efforts to modernize our nation’s infrastructure through technology-neutral improvement and expansion, we must bring greater transparency, efficiency and accountability to the regulatory processes affecting hydropower.”