[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9399 Introduced in House (IH)]
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117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 9399
To require assessments of opportunities to install and maintain
floating photovoltaic solar panels at Corps of Engineers and Bureau of
Reclamation projects, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 1, 2022
Mr. Tonko (for himself and Mr. Huffman) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources,
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 require assessments of opportunities to install and maintain
floating photovoltaic solar panels at Corps of Engineers and Bureau of
Reclamation projects, 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 ``Protect Our Waters and Expand
Renewables on Our Reservoirs Act'' or the ``POWER Our Reservoirs Act''.
SEC. 2. FLOATING SOLAR ENERGY AT CORPS OF ENGINEERS PROJECTS.
(a) Assessment.--
(1) In general.--The Chief of Engineers shall, at Federal
expense, conduct an assessment, in consultation with the
Secretary of Energy, of opportunities to install and maintain
floating photovoltaic solar panels at Corps of Engineers
projects.
(2) Contents.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the Chief of
Engineers shall--
(A) describe the economic, environmental, and
technical viability of installing and maintaining, or
contracting with third parties to install and maintain,
floating photovoltaic solar panels at Corps of
Engineers projects;
(B) identify Corps of Engineers projects with a
high potential for the installation and maintenance of
floating photovoltaic solar panels, and whether such
installation and maintenance would require additional
authorization;
(C) account for potential effects on Corps of
Engineers projects, and the authorized purposes of such
projects, of installing and maintaining floating
photovoltaic solar panels at such projects, including
potential effects related to evaporation suppression,
energy yield, dam safety, recreation, water quality,
and fish and wildlife;
(D) account for potential damage to floating
photovoltaic solar panels from weather, water level
fluctuations, and recreational and other uses of the
Corps of Engineers projects; and
(E) account for the availability of electric grid
infrastructure close to Corps of Engineers projects,
including underutilized transmission infrastructure.
(b) Report to Congress.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Chief of Engineers shall submit to Congress,
and make publicly available (including on a publicly available
website), a report containing the results of the assessment conducted
under subsection (a).
(c) Sustainability Reports.--Beginning not later than 24 months
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Chief of Engineers shall
include renewable energy from floating photovoltaic solar panels as
part of any Sustainability Report and Implementation Plan of the Corps
of Engineers.
(d) Pilot Program.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 24 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, if supported by the results of the
assessment conducted under subsection (a), the Chief of
Engineers shall establish a pilot program for the deployment of
floating photovoltaic solar panels at Corps of Engineers
projects identified under paragraph (2)(B) of such subsection
with respect to which any applicable non-Federal interest for
the project--
(A) agrees to invest in and deploy floating
photovoltaic solar panels; and
(B) has the authority to enter into agreements,
including through public-private partnerships, for the
purpose of carrying out such activities.
(2) Cost share.--In carrying out a project under this
subsection, the Chief of Engineers may cover up to 100 percent
of the cost of such project.
(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Chief of Engineers $12,000,000, to remain available
until expended, to carry out this section.
(f) No Effect on Project Purposes.--Nothing in this section affects
the authorized purposes of a Corps of Engineers project.
(g) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Chief of engineers.--The term ``Chief of Engineers''
means the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of
Engineers.
(2) Corps of engineers project.--The term ``Corps of
Engineers project'' means any water resources development
project constructed by the Chief of Engineers or for which the
Chief of Engineers has financial or operational responsibility.
SEC. 3. FLOATING SOLAR ENERGY AT BUREAU OF RECLAMATION PROJECTS.
(a) Assessment.--
(1) In general.--The Commissioner shall, at Federal
expense, conduct an assessment, in consultation with the
Secretary of Energy, of opportunities to install and maintain
floating photovoltaic solar panels at Reclamation projects.
(2) Contents.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the
Commissioner shall--
(A) describe the economic, environmental, and
technical feasibility of installing and maintaining, or
contracting with third parties to install and maintain,
photovoltaic solar panels at Reclamation projects;
(B) identify Reclamation projects with a high
potential for the installation and maintenance of
floating photovoltaic solar panels, and whether such
installation and maintenance would require additional
authorization;
(C) account for potential effects on Reclamation
projects, and the authorized purposes of such projects,
of installing and maintaining floating photovoltaic
solar panels at such projects, including potential
effects related to evaporation suppression, energy
yield, dam safety, recreation, water quality, and fish
and wildlife;
(D) account for potential damage to floating
photovoltaic solar panels from weather, water level
fluctuations, and recreational and other uses of the
Reclamation projects; and
(E) account for the availability of electric grid
infrastructure close to Reclamation projects, including
underutilized transmission infrastructure.
(b) Report to Congress.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Commissioner shall submit to Congress, and
make publicly available (including on a publicly available website), a
report containing the results of the assessment conducted under
subsection (a).
(c) Pilot Program.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 24 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, if supported by the results of the
assessment conducted under subsection (a), the Commissioner
shall establish a pilot program for the deployment of floating
photovoltaic solar panels at Reclamation projects identified
under paragraph (2)(B) of such subsection with respect to which
any applicable non-Federal entity for the project--
(A) agrees to invest in and deploy floating
photovoltaic solar panels; and
(B) has the authority to enter into agreements,
including through public-private partnerships, for the
purpose of carrying out such activities.
(2) Cost share.--In carrying out a project under this
subsection, the Commissioner may cover up to 100 percent of the
cost of such project.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated to the Commissioner $12,000,000, to remain available until
expended, to carry out this section.
(e) No Effect on Project Purposes.--Nothing in this section affects
the authorized purposes of a Reclamation project.
(f) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Commissioner.--The term ``Commissioner'' means the
Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Commissioner of
Reclamation.
(2) Reclamation project.--The term ``Reclamation project''
means--
(A) any reclamation or irrigation project,
including incidental features of the project--
(i) that is authorized by the Federal
reclamation laws;
(ii) that is constructed by the United
States pursuant to the Federal reclamation
laws; or
(iii) in connection with which there is a
repayment or water service contract executed by
the United States pursuant to the Federal
reclamation laws; or
(B) any project constructed by the Secretary of the
Interior for the reclamation of land.
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