[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 15]
[House]
[Page 19868]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         ARROWROCK PROJECT HYDROELECTRIC LICENSE EXTENSION BILL

  Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 4377) to extend the time required for construction of a 
hydroelectric project, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 4377

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

     SECTION 1. ARROWROCK HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT.

       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 4656, on request of the licensee, the Commission 
     shall--
       (1) if the license for the project is in effect on the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, extend the period for 
     commencing construction of project works for a period of 3 
     years beginning on the date of enactment of this Act; or
       (2) if the license for the project has been terminated 
     before the date of enactment of this Act, reinstate the 
     license and extend the period for commencing construction of 
     project works for an additional 3-year period beginning on 
     the date of enactment of this Act.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Idaho (Mr. Otter) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Boucher) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Idaho.


                             General Leave

  Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
on this legislation and to insert extraneous material.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Idaho?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 4377, the Arrowrock Project 
Hydroelectric License Extension Bill, which extends the time in the 
hydroelectric license to begin construction of a 15-megawatt project by 
3 years from the date of passage of this bill. The facility will be 
built at the existing Arrowrock Dam on the Boise River in Idaho and has 
been designated to minimize impacts there.
  Over the past decade, this project has been delayed by a number of 
factors not necessarily within the control of the project developer, 
including delays related to the bull trout being declared threatened 
under the Endangered Species Act. We have now solved that problem and 
we have been assured that the project is ready to go once the license 
is extended.
  This project has bipartisan support. It will further develop the 
hydroelectric facilities at existing dams, something we promoted in the 
Energy Policy Act of 2005, so I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BOUCHER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise today in support of H.R. 4377, a bill which would require the 
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to extend for a 3-year period the 
deadline for commencing construction on the proposed Arrowrock 
Hydroelectric Project in the State of Idaho.
  The project was originally licensed in 1989, but due to extenuating 
circumstances, construction has not begun on the project as of this 
time. One reason for the delay was the need for required consultations 
with regard to the bull trout, a species which was listed as threatened 
only after the original license had been issued. The project is now 
moving forward with those required consultations.
  The bill before us would simply extend the license to give the 
licensee more time in order to finalize the project and get 
construction under way. This measure was approved by the Energy and 
Commerce Committee by voice vote, along with four other hydroelectric 
licensing bills which we are also considering this evening.
  I urge my colleagues to approve this measure.
  Madam Speaker, I have no additional requests for time, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WU. Madam Speaker, I rise in support for H.R. 4377, the 
Hydroelectric Project at Arrowrock Dam License Extension. This bill 
will bring more public power to Pacific Northwest energy customers by 
extending the time required for construction of the Arrowrock 
hydroelectric project.
  The extension is necessary because of consultations with the Fish & 
Wildlife Service to evaluate and protect threatened species in the 
vicinity of the project--bull trout. Because of delays in these 
consultations the commencement of construction was delayed past the 
expiration date of March 2005. An extension of license P 4656 is needed 
in order to begin construction during winter of 2006 or 2007 to take 
advantage of the lower water conditions.
  This project was unable to meet the March 20, 2005 start of 
construction deadline because the Fish & Wildlife Service would not 
begin consultation on the project until after it completed consultation 
on all of the Reclamation projects in the Upper Snake River Basin. That 
Upper Snake consultation was a direct outgrowth of the requirements of 
the Snake River Water Rights Act of 2004, H.R. 4818, Title X, and the 
Nez Perce Agreement of 2004. I believe that the inaction of one federal 
agency should not be the basis for depriving the citizens of Oregon, 
Idaho and the United States of important rights, including their rights 
under permits issued by other federal agencies.
  I support H.R. 4377 and ask my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the 
bill.
  Mr. OTTER. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I 
urge the immediate passage of 4377.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. McMorris Rodgers). The question is on 
the motion offered by the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Otter) that the 
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 4377.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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