Dingell Blasts Senate for Gutting Hydropower
Provisions in Energy Bill

Washington, D.C. – Rep. John D. Dingell today expressed outrage over Senate action that significantly undermined a bipartisan, consensus hydroelectric power provision he authored in the House of Representatives.

"Today the Senate not only voted against making progress on hydroelectric licensing reform, but also to roll back existing protections for fish, wildlife, habitat and water quality. The original Senate bill contained the language I authored in the House of Representatives that was supported by environmental groups, industry groups, and Democrats and Republicans alike. I thank our Michigan Senators for supporting that language and the rest of the Michigan delegation who supported the House bill," Dingell said. "As Ranking Member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and a likely conferee on the energy bill, today’s power grab by the hydro industry will not stand."

The original provision Dingell authored required federal resource agencies (e.g., the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Forest Service, etc.) to consider alternative conditions proposed by a licensee or other party to a licensing proceeding. Current law allows the resources agencies broad discretion in imposing a mandatory condition. Dingell’s provision would require the resources agencies to give due consideration to alternative conditions that may cost less to implement in terms of dollars or energy lost, yet provide greater, or at a minimum no less, environmental protection. Without placing any additional undue reporting requirements on license applicants, the language authored by Dingell would help lead to more efficient relicensing procedures. The language was supported in the House of Representatives by both industry and environmental groups alike, including American Rivers, Trout Unlimited, and the Hydropower Reform Coalition, along with the National Hydropower Association, American Public Power Association, and the Edison Electric Institute.

In 1980, Dingell successfully incorporated stringent environmental and energy conservation provisions into the Northwest Power Act. Six years later, he co-authored the hydroelectric environmental reforms of the Electric Consumers Protection Act, which directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to give equal consideration to fish and wildlife, recreation and other environmental benefits. During the last two years, Dingell and other Committee Democrats led a successful fight against industry efforts to undermine the environmental protections in the hydroelectric licensing process. In March, Dingell joined with Trout Unlimited and American Rivers to introduce H.R. 3800, the Federal Investment in Sustainable Hydropower Act. This legislation would modernize the federal hydroelectric licensing process and provide for greater environmental protection.

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[Editor’s Note] Reporters interested in obtaining additional documents and letters of support for Dingell’s hydro language should call Laura Sheehan at 202-225-3641.