[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 724 Engrossed in Senate (ES)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                 S. 724

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT


 
    To amend the Federal Power Act to modernize authorizations for 
                    necessary hydropower approvals.

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

SECTION 1. MODERNIZING AUTHORIZATIONS FOR NECESSARY HYDROPOWER 
              APPROVALS.

    (a) Preliminary Permits.--Section 5 of the Federal Power Act (16 
U.S.C. 798) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``three'' and inserting 
        ``4''; and
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) by striking ``Commission may extend the period 
                of a preliminary permit once for not more than 2 
                additional years beyond the 3 years'' and inserting the 
                following: ``Commission may--
            ``(1) extend the period of a preliminary permit once for 
        not more than 4 additional years beyond the 4 years'';
                    (B) by striking the period at the end and inserting 
                ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(2) after the end of an extension period granted under 
        paragraph (1), issue an additional permit to the permittee if 
        the Commission determines that there are extraordinary 
        circumstances that warrant the issuance of the additional 
        permit.''.
    (b) Time Limit for Construction of Project Works.--Section 13 of 
the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 806) is amended in the second sentence 
by striking ``once but not longer than two additional years'' and 
inserting ``for not more than 8 additional years,''.
    (c) Obligation for Payment of Annual Charges.--Any obligation of a 
licensee or exemptee for the payment of annual charges under section 
10(e) of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 803(e)) for a project that 
has not commenced construction as of the date of enactment of this Act 
shall commence not earlier than the latest of--
            (1) the date by which the licensee or exemptee is required 
        to commence construction; or
            (2) the date of any extension of the deadline under 
        paragraph (1).

            Passed the Senate June 28, 2018.

            Attest:

                                                             Secretary.
115th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                 S. 724

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

    To amend the Federal Power Act to modernize authorizations for 
                    necessary hydropower approvals.