[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 121 (Tuesday, July 18, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H5937-H5938]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




EXTENDING DEADLINE FOR COMMENCEMENT OF CONSTRUCTION OF A HYDROELECTRIC 
                                PROJECT

  Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 2828) 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. 2828

       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 12569, the Commission shall, 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 three 
     consecutive 2-year periods from the date of the expiration of 
     the extension originally issued by the Commission under that 
     section.
       (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 shall 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 gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rush) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.


                             General Leave

  Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material.
  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, I rise today in support of H.R. 2828, introduced by the 
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Newhouse). This bill will authorize the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, FERC, to extend the time period 
during which a licensee is required to commence construction of a 
hydroelectric project.
  Back on July 9, 2013, FERC issued a license for the Public Utility 
District Number 1 of Okanogan County, Washington's proposed 9-megawatt 
Enloe hydroelectric project. This project will be located at the 
existing Enloe Dam on the Similkameen River near the city of Oroville, 
Washington.
  The license requires the licensee to commence construction of the 
project within 2 years of the issuance date of the license, or by July 
9, 2015. At the licensee's request, FERC has already granted the 
maximum allowable 2-year extension, thus making the construction 
deadline July 9, 2017.
  Development of the Enloe project has experienced setbacks that have 
complicated the licensee's ability to meet the deadline. This bill, 
H.R. 2828, would authorize FERC to reinstate the license and issue up 
to three consecutive 2-year extensions to commence construction.
  This bill is consistent with prior congressional actions and FERC's 
longstanding policy limiting the maximum allowable extension to 10 
years from the issuance date of the license.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the legislation before us sponsored by the gentleman 
from Washington State (Mr. Newhouse) would authorize the Federal Energy 
Regulatory Commission to extend, up to 6 years, the date by which the 
licensee for the Enloe Dam hydropower project, No. 12569, is required 
to commence construction. This is necessary because the project's 
licensee is not likely to commence construction by the designated 
deadline.
  Under the Federal Power Act, Mr. Speaker, FERC is unable to further 
extend that deadline administratively, so action by the Congress is 
required. In the event the license expires before this legislation is 
enacted, the bill contains language reinstating the license as of its 
date of expiration.

[[Page H5938]]

  


                              {time}  1330

  FERC has no objection, Mr. Speaker, to this piece of legislation, and 
neither do I, and I hope that my colleagues will support the passage of 
H.R. 951.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues again to support this 
bill, on a bipartisan basis, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, my legislation would provide a much-needed 
``commencement of construction'' extension to the FERC permit for the 
Enloe Dam Hydroelectric Project located in my Central Washington 
district.
  The Enloe Project is located at the existing Enloe Dam in the 
Similkameen River Valley, which is situated approximately four miles 
upriver of the City of Oroville. The original dam was constructed by 
BLM in 1920 for power generation but operations ceased in 1958 when the 
Bonneville Power Administration extended a high-voltage transmission 
line into the Okanogan Valley.
  However, since 1958 the dam and its related power-generating 
facilities have sat dormant and the Okanogan Public Utility District 
(``District'') is now working on the proposed project to re-energize 
this infrastructure for hydropower development, as well as to relocate 
the site to the opposite bank, which offers numerous environmental and 
construction advantages.
  The proposed 9 megawatt hydropower facility has faced several 
setbacks and regulatory hurdles, which have been addressed but have 
also delayed progress. However, despite these challenges the District 
has made considerable progress in fulfilling all of the pre-
construction obligations contained in its FERC license.
  H.R. 2828 would ensure this critical hydropower project can move 
forward and provide important renewable energy generation to the 
region. The Enloe Project makes economic and environmental sense, as it 
will convert currently untapped energy in existing flow releases into 
clean, carbon-neutral energy. Additionally, the Project will have a 
footprint that is roughly half the size of the existing facility but 
will provide approximately three times the generating capacity of the 
decommissioned plant.
  Completion of the Project will provide Washingtonians and the Pacific 
Northwest region with a clean, renewable energy resource that generates 
an estimated 45,000 megawatt hours per year of carbon-free, renewable 
power. Further, the proposed project will create jobs and needed 
employment opportunities in a region with an unemployment rate that far 
exceeds the national average, underscoring the many positive benefits 
this project will have for the local community, state, and region.
  This important legislation will allow for development of this 
critical hydropower facility to move forward under a realistic 
regulatory timeline and in a manner consistent with prior congressional 
actions on similar projects.
  By passing this measure and extending the ``commencement of 
construction'' deadline for the Enloe Project, Congress can help spur 
hydropower development in Central Washington and ensure the Project's 
many benefits are realized, which will have a lasting impact on the 
region's energy supply and economic viability.
  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. 2828.
  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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