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McMorris Rodgers Reintroduces Hydropower Permitting Package by Jael Holzman Big Country News, June 13, 2023

It would also modify the definition of "renewable energy"
to explicitly include hydropower in certain statutes.

Energy and Commerce Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers reintroduced her hydropower permitting package on Monday.

Why it matters:
One of the GOP's most powerful members is jockeying for more "permitting reform" post-debt deal, raising the odds of more deals.

Driving the news:
McMorris Rodgers unveiled her Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act to plaudits from hydro industry groups and GOP-aligned conservationists including Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions.

The bill, which she also introduced last Congress, would codify licensing timelines for hydropower projects and exempt facilities below a certain scope and wattage from some environmental review requirements.

It would also modify the definition of "renewable energy" to explicitly include hydropower in certain statutes, like the Energy Policy Act.

"This legislation will help preserve our existing hydropower fleet and bring more power online as demand grows into the future," McMorris Rodgers said in a statement.

Between the lines:
Hydro's certainly a renewable resource. But it's unlikely that this bill is one of the bipartisan energy wins moderate Dems are seeking.

The bill was introduced with no initial cosponsors. It received no Dem cosponsors the last go-around, a scenario that would make movement in the Senate an uphill battle if it managed to get out of the House.

A likely reason is that environmentalists object to provisions allowing the federal government to waive Endangered Species Act requirements for hydro projects.

It's a tough pill for them to swallow at a time when some fish face increasingly dire survival prospects because of climate change.

Related Pages:
Newhouse, McMorris Rodgers Seek to Boost Hydropower After Idaho Rep's Dam Removal Idea by Courtney Flatt, NW News Network, 3/5/21