Click here to watch Sen. Barrasso’s remarks.
WASHINGTON, DC –Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), delivered the following remarks at the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on hydropower legislation, including Barrasso’s “Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act” (S. 306).
Excerpts of Senator Barrasso’s Hearing Remarks:
“This Barrasso/Risch/Tipton bill, named the ‘Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act’, it authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation hydropower development on nearly 47,000 miles of federal canals throughout the West.
“In Wyoming alone, 121 sites could be developed, according to a Bureau of Reclamation March 2012 report. Oregon has the second highest conduit hydropower capability with 68 identified sites.
“The bills proactively authorize hydropower development on existing facilities that have already gone through federal environmental review.
“The bills also provide common sense administrative and regulatory streamlining to ensure that this development proceeds to the construction phase.
“Both the House and the Senate bills were originally introduced with a NEPA waiver. That was done because we’re talking about man-made facilities on already disturbed ground that had to go through federal permitting previously.
“I realize however that compromise on this provision is necessary to get this bill across the finish line.
“So, working together with my House counterparts, we supported an amendment that recognizes the Bureau’s existing NEPA categorical exclusion process and it strengthens it by directing it to apply to ‘small conduit hydropower’ – which is something the existing process fails to do.
“This will help insulate the Bureau and investors from unnecessary lawsuits. It also matches how FERC currently treats similar conduits when it comes to NEPA.
“By endorsing the Categorical Exclusion process, it also gives the Bureau the administrative flexibility to use what it calls ‘Extraordinary Circumstances’ in case a project does deserve more scrutiny.
“This ‘off-ramp’ from a NEPA Categorical Exclusion is important as part of its flexibility. The amendment was adopted by a voice vote in the House and then the House passed this bill on a roll call vote by 416-7.
“I’m happy to report, Mr. Chairman, that all of the Oregon House Members voted for the bill.
“Mr. Chairman, the list of the bill’s supporters grows everyday: the National Hydropower Association, Family Farm Alliance, National Water Resources Association, American Public Power Association and the Western Governors Association, the Oregon Water Resources Congress are just some of the supporters.
“I sincerely hope that we can move forward on this compromise, get these small hydro projects underway by getting this bill signed into law.”
Senator Barrasso, along with Senator James Risch (R-ID), originally introduced the “Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act” (S. 306) on February 13, 2013.
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