[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5044 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5044

 To provide for a study of the potential for increasing hydroelectric 
    power production at existing Federal facilities, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 9, 2004

Mr. Burns (for himself and Mr. Norwood) introduced the following bill; 
 which was referred to the Committee on Resources, and in addition to 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide for a study of the potential for increasing hydroelectric 
    power production at existing Federal facilities, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Hydroelectric and 
Environmental Enhancement Act of 2004''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

     Congress finds that--
            (1) Federal multi-purpose dams and reservoirs with 
        hydroelectric generation provide necessary power to respective 
        regions, enhance recreational pursuits and help meet various 
        environmental needs;
            (2) hydroelectric generation is a renewable resource that 
        plays a significant role in meeting the growing power needs of 
        many communities throughout the Nation;
            (3) Federal dams along the Savannah River generate 
        electricity for consumers who depend on such power at peak 
        times and provide recreational and environmental benefits to 
        the region;
            (4) a number of technological advancements have been made 
        at these and other Federal hydropower facilities to provide 
        even greater protections to fish and other aquatic resources; 
        and
            (5) the value of these and other Federal hydropower 
        facilities can be further enhanced to optimize more 
        hydroelectric generation and environmental protection.

SEC. 3. STUDY AND REPORT ON INCREASING ELECTRIC POWER PRODUCTION 
              CAPABILITY OF EXISTING FEDERAL FACILITIES.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of 
the Army, in consultation with the Administrator of each Federal power 
marketing administration, shall conduct a study of the potential for 
creating or increasing electric power production capability at existing 
facilities under their administrative jurisdiction.
    (b) Content.--The study under this section shall include 
identification and description in detail of each facility that is 
capable, with or without modification, of producing additional 
hydroelectric power, including estimation of the existing potential for 
the facility to generate hydroelectric power.
    (c) Report.--Each Secretary shall submit to the Congress a report 
on the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the study under 
this section by not later than 12 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act. Each Secretary shall include the following in 
the report:
            (1) The identifications, descriptions, and estimations 
        referred to in subsection (b).
            (2) A description of activities the Secretary is currently 
        conducting or considering, or that could be considered, to 
        produce additional hydroelectric power from each identified 
        facility.
            (3) A summary of action that has already been taken by the 
        Secretary to produce additional hydroelectric power from each 
        identified facility.
            (4) The costs to install, upgrade, or modify equipment or 
        take other actions to produce new or additional hydroelectric 
        power from each identified facility and the level of Federal 
        power customer involvement in the Secretary's determination of 
        such costs.
            (5) The benefits that would be achieved by such 
        installation, upgrade, modification, or other action, including 
        quantified estimates of any additional energy or capacity from 
        each facility identified under subsection (b).
            (6) A description of actions that are planned, underway, or 
        might reasonably be considered to create or increase 
        hydroelectric power production by replacing turbines.
            (7) The impact of increased hydroelectric power production 
        on irrigation, fish, wildlife, Indian tribes, river health, 
        water quality, navigation, recreation, fishing, and flood 
        control.
            (8) Any additional recommendations the Secretary considers 
        advisable to increase hydroelectric power production from, and 
        reduce costs and improve efficiency at, facilities under the 
        jurisdiction of the Secretary.

SEC. 4. STUDY AND IMPLEMENTATION OF INCREASED OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES 
              IN HYDROELECTRIC POWER PROJECTS.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of 
the Army shall conduct a study of operational methods and water 
scheduling techniques at all hydroelectric power plants under the 
administrative jurisdiction of each Secretary that have an electric 
power production capacity greater than 50 megawatts, to--
            (1) determine whether such power plants and associated 
        river systems are operated so as to optimize energy and 
        capacity capabilities; and
            (2) identify measures that can be taken to improve 
        operational flexibility at such plants to achieve such 
        optimization.
    (b) Report.--Each Secretary shall submit a report on the findings, 
conclusions, and recommendations of the study under this section by not 
later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, 
including a summary of the determinations and identifications under 
paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a). Each Secretary shall include 
in the report the impact of optimized hydroelectric power production on 
irrigation, fish, wildlife, Indian tribes, river health, water quality, 
navigation, recreation, fishing, and flood control.
    (c) Cooperation With Federal Power Marketing Administrations.--Each 
Secretary shall coordinate with the Administrator of each Federal power 
marketing administration in determining how the value of electric power 
produced by each hydroelectric power facility that produces power 
marketed by the administration can be optimized.
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