[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 98 (Monday, June 23, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H5605-H5606]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COLLINSVILLE RENEWABLE ENERGY PRODUCTION ACT
Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules
and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill (H.R. 316) to reinstate
and transfer certain hydroelectric licenses and extend the deadline for
commencement of construction of certain hydroelectric projects.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the Senate amendment is as follows:
Senate amendment:
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Collinsville Renewable
Energy Production Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission.
(2) License.--The term ``license'' means--
(A) the license for Commission project number 10822;
(B) the license for Commission project number 10823; or
(C) both.
(3) Town.--The term ``Town'' means the town of Canton,
Connecticut.
SEC. 3. REINSTATEMENT, EXTENSION, AND TRANSFER OF EXPIRED
LICENSES.
Notwithstanding the termination of the license, the
Commission may, at the request of the Town, in accordance
with section 4(a), and after reasonable notice--
(1) reinstate the licence;
(2) extend for 2 years after the date on which the license
is reinstated the time period during which the licensee is
required to commence the construction of the project subject
to the license; and
(3) subject to section 4, transfer the license to the Town.
SEC. 4. CONDITIONS OF TRANSFER.
(a) Application for Transfer.--The Town may request the
reinstatement, extension, and transfer of the license by
filing an application for approval of the transfer.
(b) Contents of Application.--The application for approval
of the transfer shall set forth in appropriate detail the
qualifications of the Town to hold the license and to operate
the property under license, which qualifications shall be the
same as those required of applicants for the license.
(c) Commission Approval.--The Commission may approve the
transfer on a showing that the transfer is in the public
interest.
(d) Terms and Conditions of Licenses.--The Town shall be
subject to--
(1) all the conditions of the license and all the
provisions and conditions of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C.
791a et seq.), as though the Town were the original licensee;
and
(2) any additional terms and conditions the Commission
determines to be necessary, including conditions for the
protection, mitigation, and enhancement of fish and wildlife
and related habitat under sections 10(j) and 18 of the
Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 803(j), 811).
SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION.
The Commission shall supplement the environmental impact
statement or similar analysis required under the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.)
prepared in connection with the issuance of the original
license to examine all new circumstances and information
relevant to environmental concerns and bearing on the
reinstatement of the license or the impact of the license.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Kinzinger) and the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.
General Leave
Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend
their remarks and insert extraneous materials in the Record on the
bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Illinois?
There was no objection.
Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
H.R. 316 would provide the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or
FERC, with limited authority to reinstate two terminated hydroelectric
licenses and transfer them to a new owner, the town of Canton,
Connecticut.
The licenses are associated with the upper and lower Collinsville
dams on the Farmington River in Connecticut. Both projects are under 1
megawatt each.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SARBANES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support the Collinsville
hydropower legislation introduced by Congresswoman Esty of Connecticut.
The bill would authorize the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to
reinstate licenses for two hydroelectric projects on the Farmington
River and to transfer these licenses, as was indicated, to the town of
Canton, Connecticut.
This noncontroversial, but very, very important legislation has
passed the House by voice vote in three consecutive Congresses and has
now passed the Senate with a few nonsubstantive changes. It is high
time to get this bill to the President's desk, Mr. Speaker.
With that, I would like to yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Connecticut (Ms. Esty), the sponsor of the bill.
Ms. ESTY. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my good friend and
colleague from Maryland, Congressman Sarbanes, as well as the gentleman
from Illinois (Mr. Kinzinger), for their roles in bringing this bill to
the floor today.
Mr. Speaker, I rise as a proud sponsor of the Collinsville Renewable
Energy Production Act.
This bill provides, as has been noted, the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, commonly known as FERC, the authority to reinstate, extend,
and transfer the licenses of two dams in my district to the town of
Canton in order to redevelop hydropower at these two facilities that
have been dormant since 1966.
[[Page H5606]]
The upper and lower Collinsville dams on the Farmington River were
first built in the 18th and 19th centuries to power an ax manufacturer.
Although this business closed in the 1960s, the dams have remained and
are a lasting symbol of the manufacturing history of the Farmington
Valley.
Today's legislation provides Canton the opportunity to create local
clean energy and to stimulate local economic development along the
scenic Farmington River.
As provided in the Senate's amendment to H.R. 316, Canton would need
to file an application for approval with FERC that describes the town's
qualifications to hold these licenses and to operate the dams.
It would require the town to be subject to the same conditions as in
the original licenses, as well as any additional terms that FERC may
deem necessary after reviewing the application.
I am aware that there are legitimate environmental concerns about the
impact on the river and the surrounding ecosystem's health. These
concerns are reflected in part with the addition of fish ladders to the
hydrodams in the ensuing years since the closing of the facility.
To address those concerns, FERC would need to update the
environmental impact statement provided for in the original licenses
before they could be reinstated, extended, and transferred to the town.
If the Commission, under the authority provided in this bill,
approves the application to reinstate these permits, the upper and
lower Collinsville dams would provide nearly 2 megawatts of power. That
is enough to power more than 1,500 homes.
It is important for me to acknowledge that the passage of this bill
today is only possible because of the work and support of many others
who have labored over this for many years.
First, I want to thank Senator Chris Murphy--my colleague, friend,
and neighbor--who championed this issue for several sessions here in
the House, and our senior Senator, Richard Blumenthal, for their
leadership and sponsorship of the Senate amendment, which is before us
today.
My thanks also go out to Chairman Whitfield, as well as Chairman
Upton and Ranking Members Waxman and Rush and their staffs, for their
bipartisan support to advance this legislation.
I also want to thank First Selectman Richard Barlow for all he has
done over many years to spearhead this effort at home.
Finally, as I mentioned, 1\1/2\ years ago, when this bill first came
to the floor, I want to honor two gentleman, Art Fournier and Mark
Quattro, environmental and community leaders who sadly are no longer
with us, but who championed this effort for many years. We could not be
here today without their efforts.
Mr. Speaker, roughly 5,000 bills have been introduced in the House of
Representatives this Congress. Of those 5,000 pieces of legislation,
this bill, H.R. 316, represents just the 167th bill which hopefully
will pass both the House and the Senate.
I am honored and humbled to be able to work with colleagues across
the aisle in this Congress to advance clean energy legislation that
empowers local communities to harness local resources to produce
renewable electricity and, at the same time, supports and advances
local economic development.
There is much more that we can and should do to advance energy
production and to protect our environment, but today is an excellent
start.
I urge my colleagues to support the motion to concur in the Senate
Amendment to H.R. 316.
Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I will just say this is a
good bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. SARBANES. Mr. Speaker, I, too, would like to congratulate Ms.
Esty of Connecticut. This is an important bill. I salute her
persistence.
With that, I urge my colleagues to support it, and I yield back the
balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Kinzinger) that the House suspend the
rules and concur in the Senate amendment to the bill, H.R. 316.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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