[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 37 (Wednesday, March 7, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E330]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 BUREAU OF RECLAMATION SMALL CONDUIT HYDROPOWER DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2011

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                               speech of

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 6, 2012

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2842) to 
     authorize all Bureau of Reclamation conduit facilities for 
     hydropower development under Federal reclamation law, and for 
     other purposes:

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Chair, I strongly support the installation of 
small scale hydropower in water canals, pipelines and other Bureau of 
Reclamation facilities. A small investment could go a long way in 
helping farmers and rural communities produce homegrown energy to help 
power their farms and irrigation systems and even sell power to the 
grid. The Three Sisters Irrigation District in Oregon is pursuing such 
a project, which could eventually create over 3 kilowatts of clean 
renewable power for the local community.
  These innovative projects should move along as quickly as possible. 
Because they would be installed in existing facilities, extensive 
environmental review is not needed. However, I cannot support this bill 
because it includes an unnecessary waiver of the National Environmental 
Policy Act. Environmental review for these projects can be expedited 
through the existing process, which allows categorical exemptions by 
the appropriate federal agency. A blanket exemption to NEPA would set a 
bad precedent, and history has shown that short-circuiting 
environmental and public reviews typically delays rather than assists 
project development.
  I supported an amendment by Rep. Napolitano that would have struck 
language in the bill that waives NEPA. Because this amendment did not 
pass, I must reluctantly vote no. However, I stand ready to work with 
my colleagues to promote development of small conduit hydropower 
without undermining environmental safeguards.

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