[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 30 (Tuesday, March 11, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H829-H830]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    EXTENDING DEADLINE FOR HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT IN WASHINGTON STATE

  Mr. DAN SCHAEFER of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the 
rules and pass the bill (H.R. 651) to extend the deadline under the 
Federal Power Act for the construction of a hydroelectric project 
located in the State of Washington, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                                H.R. 651

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

     SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF DEADLINE.

       (a) In General.--Notwithstanding the time period specified 
     in section 13 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 806) that 
     would otherwise apply to Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
     project numbered 8864, the Commission shall, upon the request 
     of the project licensee, in accordance with the good faith, 
     due diligence, and public interest requirements of that 
     section and the Commission's procedures under that section, 
     extend the time period during which the licensee is required 
     to commence construction of the project for not more than 3 
     consecutive 2-year periods.
       (b) Applicability.--An extension under subsection (a) shall 
     take effect for a project upon the expiration of the 
     extension, issued by the Commission under section 13 of the 
     Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 806), of the period required for 
     commencement of construction of the project.
       (c) Reinstatement of Expired License.--If the license for 
     the project referred to in subsection (a) has expired prior 
     to the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall 
     reinstate the license effective as of the date of its 
     expiration and extend the time required for commencement of 
     construction of the project as provided in subsection (a) for 
     not more than 3 consecutive 2-year periods, the first of 
     which shall commence on the date of such expiration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Colorado, Mr. Dan Schaefer, and the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Hall, 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Dan Schaefer).
  Mr. DAN SCHAEFER of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, under section 13 of the 
Federal Power Act, hydro project construction must begin within 4 years 
of the issuance of a license. If construction has not begun by that 
time, the FERC cannot extend the deadline and must terminate that 
license.
  H.R. 651 and another bill we are going to be considering very 
shortly, H.R. 652, provide for up to three additional 2-year extensions 
of the construction deadline if the sponsor pursues the commencement of 
construction in good faith and with due diligence.
  Mr. Speaker, these types of bills have not been controversial in the 
past. The bills do not change the license requirement in any way and do 
not change environmental standards, but merely extend the statutory 
deadline for commencement of construction. There is a need to act now, 
since the construction deadlines for these projects will soon expire. 
If Congress does not act, FERC will terminate the license, the project 
sponsors will lose many of the dollars they have invested in the 
projects, and communities will lose the prospect of significant job 
creation and added revenues.
  H.R. 651 will authorize FERC to extend the deadline for the 
construction on the Calligan Creek project, a 5-megawatt project in 
King County, Washington, for up to 6 additional years. There is a 
reason to act quickly, since the construction deadline expires on May 
13, 1997. FERC has no objection to H.R. 651.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 651.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  (Mr. HALL of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and 
extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 651, introduced by my 
good friend, the gentleman from Washington, Mr. Rick White. This bill 
simply extends a construction deadline applicable to hydroelectric 
projects in the State of Washington, licensed by the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission.
  The chairman has adequately explained the ramifications of the bill. 
I think FERC does oppose affording licensees more than a 10-year 
extension from the issuance date of the license, but in this case H.R. 
651 extends the deadline up to 6 years, which in totality would extend 
the project from the beginning to exactly 10 years, in accordance with 
the law.
  In accordance with the 10-year rule, FERC has no objection to the 
bill.
  It is not without warranted reason that these hydroelectric projects 
are in need of license extensions. In the case of the project in 
Washington State, the lack of power purchase agreements is the main 
reason construction has not commenced. Without these power purchase 
agreements, the project is not economically viable because it cannot be 
financed; all the while the deadline clock is running. And these 
circumstances make it critical for a construction license to be granted 
in accordance with the 10-year rule and FERC's agreement.
  This is an easy bill with no objection from FERC, and I strongly urge 
my colleagues to join me in voting.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAN SCHAEFER of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he 
may consume to the gentleman from Washington, Rick White, who is the 
sponsor of the bill.
  Mr. WHITE. I will be very brief, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the 
chairman and ranking member for helping us bring these bills to the 
floor. I simply want to reiterate what they said.
  Mr. Speaker, this is one of these bills that it is a great pleasure 
to work on, because I think we are all in agreement that this is the 
sort of thing we should do. These bills, both of them, H.R. 651 and 
652, simply extend the deadline for construction of these dams within 
the 10-year period that FERC prefers. I want to thank both the chairman 
and the ranking member once again for allowing these bills to come 
forward.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAN SCHAEFER of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests 
for time, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by

[[Page H830]]

the gentleman from Colorado, Mr. Dan Schaefer, that the House suspend 
the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 651.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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