[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 37 (Thursday, March 2, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S1579]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DAINES (for himself, Mr. Tester, and Mr. Risch):
  S. 490. A bill to reinstate and extend the deadline for commencement 
of construction of a hydroelectric project involving the Gibson Dam; to 
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, Montana is the fifth largest producer of 
hydropower in the Nation, with 23 hydroelectric dams contributing one-
third of all electricity production in Montana. The Gibson Dam project 
near Augusta, Montana will provide fifty to one hundred years of stable 
tax revenue for the state and local counties, reduce carbon emissions, 
create good-paying jobs, and will provide clean, reliable electricity 
to Montana. This bill would reinstate and provide a six-year extension 
of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission license, allowing Montana 
to continue to be a leader in clean, hydropower electricity.
  I thank Senators Tester and Risch for joining me on introducing this 
bill and I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this bipartisan 
legislation.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 490

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

     SECTION 1. REINSTATEMENT AND EXTENSION OF TIME FOR FEDERAL 
                   ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION PROJECT INVOLVING 
                   GIBSON DAM.

       Notwithstanding the time period specified in section 13 of 
     the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 806) that would otherwise 
     apply to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission project 
     numbered 12478-003, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
     (referred to in this section as the ``Commission'') shall, at 
     the request of the licensee for the project, after reasonable 
     notice, and in accordance with the good faith, due diligence, 
     and public interest requirements of, and the procedures of 
     the Commission under, that section, reinstate the license and 
     extend the time period during which the licensee is required 
     to commence construction of the project for the 6-year period 
     that begins on the date of enactment of this Act.
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