[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 99 (Monday, June 12, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H4826-H4827]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1600
EXTENDING DEADLINE FOR CONSTRUCTION OF HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT NUMBERED
12642
Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 951) to extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a
hydroelectric project.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 951
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. EXTENSION.
(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 the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission project numbered 12642, the Commission may, at the
request of the licensee for the project, and after reasonable
notice, 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 the
construction of the project for up to 3 consecutive 2-year
periods from the date of the expiration of the extension
originally issued by the Commission.
(b) Reinstatement of Expired License.--If the period
required for commencement of construction of the project
described in subsection (a) has expired prior to the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Commission may reinstate the
license effective as of the date of its expiration and the
first extension authorized under subsection (a) shall take
effect on the date of such expiration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Upton) and the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.
[[Page H4827]]
General Leave
Mr. UPTON. 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 material in the Record on the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Michigan?
There was no objection.
Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, this bill, H.R. 951, introduced by the gentlewoman from
North Carolina (Ms. Foxx), the distinguished chair of the Education and
the Workforce Committee, authorizes the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, FERC, to extend up to 6 years the time period during which
construction must commence on the W. Kerr Scott Hydropower Project
located on the Yadkin River in Wilkes County, North Carolina.
Additionally, FERC may reinstate the construction license if it is
expired.
A similar bill was passed under suspension in the last Congress, and
I hope that we can pass it again today, urging the Senate to take this
legislation up.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, the legislation before us, sponsored by the gentlewoman
from North Carolina, would authorize FERC to extend for 6 years the
date by which the licensee for the W. Kerr Scott Hydropower Project is
required to commence construction. This is necessary because the
project's licensee was not able to commence construction by the
already-extended deadline of July 17, 2016.
Similar legislation authored by Ms. Foxx passed the House during the
114th Congress by a vote of 406-3. I hope my colleagues will support
this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the
gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx).
Ms. FOXX. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Michigan (Mr.
Upton).
I rise in support of H.R. 951, a bill I authored to extend the
license authorizing the Wilkesboro Hydroelectric Company's construction
of its hydropower project at W. Kerr Scott Dam.
The project has required exhaustive coordination with the U.S. Army
Corps of Engineers, and there have been delays in the review process
for the design plans. As the Wilkesboro Hydroelectric Company takes
steps to comply with statutory mandates and requirements by Federal
regulators, the shot clock for action on breaking ground dwindles. As
has often happened with these projects, delays in the review process
and coordination efforts precluded the start of construction.
I ask my colleagues to support a new authorization for this project,
along with the other projects the House is considering today.
Furthermore, I applaud Representative McMorris Rodgers and the House
Energy and Commerce Committee for working on comprehensive reform
legislation to address the statutory framework and FERC processes
pertaining to these projects.
I am a proud supporter of our Nation's renewable energy resources.
Congress should optimize the use of our Nation's clean, renewable
hydropower potential by bringing regulatory and permitting certainty to
the process.
Given North Carolina's growth and demand for electricity, my State
needs Congress to explore every opportunity to meet our energy demands,
provide for job growth, and sustain our environment. As chair of the
Education and the Workforce Committee, I will work tirelessly with the
other committees in the House and the Trump administration to achieve
this.
I thank Chairman Walden, Majority Leader McCarthy, and former
Chairman Upton for bringing this important legislation to the floor.
Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, this is important legislation, and I would
like to think that we can pass it again this afternoon.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 951.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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