I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 2731 
To require assessments of opportunities to install and maintain floating photo-
voltaic solar panels at Bureau of Reclamation and Corps of Engineers 
projects, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 19, 2023 
Mr. TONKO (for himself and Mr. HUFFMAN) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, for a pe-
riod to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for con-
sideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To require assessments of opportunities to install and main-
tain floating photovoltaic solar panels at Bureau of Rec-
lamation and Corps of Engineers projects, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Protect Our Waters 
and Expand Renewables on Our Reservoirs Act’’ or the 
‘‘POWER Our Reservoirs Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. FLOATING SOLAR ENERGY AT RECLAMATION 
PROJECTS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) 
COMMISSIONER.—The 
term 
‘‘Commis-
sioner’’ means the Commissioner of Reclamation. 
(2) RECLAMATION PROJECT.—The term ‘‘Rec-
lamation project’’ means— 
(A) any reclamation or irrigation project, 
including incidental features of the project— 
(i) that is authorized by the reclama-
tion laws; 
(ii) that is constructed by the United 
States pursuant to the reclamation laws; or 
(iii) in connection with which there is 
a repayment or water service contract exe-
cuted by the United States pursuant to the 
reclamation laws; or 
(B) any project constructed by the Sec-
retary of the Interior for the reclamation of 
land. 
(b) ASSESSMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commissioner, in con-
sultation with the Secretary of Energy and the rel-
evant National Laboratories of the Department of 
Energy, shall conduct an assessment of opportuni-
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ties to install and maintain floating photovoltaic 
solar panels at Reclamation projects. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—In conducting the assess-
ment under paragraph (1), the Commissioner 
shall— 
(A) determine the economic, environ-
mental, and technical feasibility of installing 
and maintaining, or contracting with third par-
ties to install and maintain, photovoltaic solar 
panels at Reclamation projects; 
(B)(i) identify Reclamation projects with a 
high potential for the installation and mainte-
nance of floating photovoltaic solar panels, in-
cluding which Reclamation projects are likely to 
have high cobenefits; and 
(ii) determine whether the installation and 
maintenance at Reclamation projects identified 
under clause (i) would require additional au-
thorization; 
(C) account for potential effects and bene-
fits on Reclamation projects and the authorized 
purposes of the Reclamation projects of install-
ing and maintaining floating photovoltaic solar 
panels at the Reclamation projects, including— 
(i) evaporation suppression; 
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(ii) energy yield; 
(iii) dam safety; 
(iv) recreation; 
(v) water quality; and 
(vi) fish and wildlife; 
(D) account for potential damage to float-
ing photovoltaic solar panels from— 
(i) weather; 
(ii) water-level fluctuations; and 
(iii) recreational and other uses of the 
Reclamation projects; 
(E)(i) identify methods to monetarily 
quantify cobenefits of floating photovoltaic solar 
panel projects; and 
(ii) identify mechanisms to pass those ben-
efits to project developers, and assess whether 
the use of such mechanisms may increase the 
viability of floating photovoltaic solar panel 
projects; and 
(F) account for the availability of electric 
grid 
infrastructure 
close 
to 
Reclamation 
projects, including underutilized transmission 
infrastructure. 
(3) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 18 
months after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
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Commissioner shall submit to Congress and make 
publicly available (including on a publicly available 
website) a report describing the results of the assess-
ment conducted under paragraph (1). 
(c) PILOT PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act, if the Commis-
sioner determines, based on the results of the assess-
ment conducted under subsection (b), that estab-
lishing a pilot program is advisable, the Commis-
sioner shall establish a pilot program under which 
the Commissioner, or an applicable non-Federal en-
tity that is acting in partnership with the Commis-
sioner, subject to paragraph (2), shall carry out 
projects to deploy floating photovoltaic solar panels 
at Reclamation projects identified under subsection 
(b)(2)(B). 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—To be eligible to carry 
out a project under paragraph (1), a non-Federal 
entity shall— 
(A) agree to invest in and deploy floating 
photovoltaic solar panels at the applicable Rec-
lamation project; and 
(B) have the authority to enter into agree-
ments, including through public-private partner-
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ships, for the purpose of carrying out the appli-
cable project under that paragraph. 
(3) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of 
the cost of carrying out a project under paragraph 
(1)— 
(A) shall not exceed 100 percent, in the 
case of a project carried out by the Commis-
sioner; and 
(B) shall not exceed 50 percent, in the 
case of a project carried out by a non-Federal 
entity, acting in partnership with the Commis-
sioner. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Commissioner to 
carry out this section $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2024, 
to remain available until expended. 
(e) NO EFFECT ON PROJECT PURPOSES.—Nothing 
in this section affects the authorized purposes of a Rec-
lamation project. 
SEC. 3. FLOATING SOLAR ENERGY AT CORPS OF ENGI-
NEERS PROJECTS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) CORPS OF ENGINEERS PROJECT.—The term 
‘‘Corps of Engineers project’’ means any water re-
sources development project— 
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(A) constructed by the Secretary; or 
(B) for which the Secretary has financial 
or operational responsibility. 
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Army. 
(b) SUSTAINABILITY REPORTS.—Beginning not later 
than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall include renewable energy from floating 
photovoltaic solar panels as part of any sustainability re-
port and implementation plan of the Corps of Engineers. 
(c) PILOT PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act, if supported by 
the results of the assessment conducted under sub-
section (a) of section 8232 of the Water Resources 
Development Act of 2022 (Public Law 117–263), 
the Secretary shall establish a pilot program for the 
deployment of floating photovoltaic solar panels at 
Corps of Engineers projects identified under para-
graph (2)(B) of that subsection under which the 
Secretary or an applicable non-Federal interest— 
(A) agrees to invest in and deploy floating 
photovoltaic solar panels; and 
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(B) may enter into agreements, including 
through public-private partnerships, for the 
purpose of carrying out such activities. 
(2) COST SHARE.—The Federal share of the 
cost of a project carried out under this subsection 
shall be— 
(A) not more than 100 percent, in the case 
of a project carried out by the Secretary; and 
(B) not more than 50 percent, in the case 
of a project carried out by a non-Federal inter-
est. 
(d) FUNDING.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry 
out this section using amounts made available to the 
Secretary to carry out section 8232 of the Water 
Resources Development Act of 2022 (Public Law 
117–263) that are not otherwise obligated. 
(2) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—In 
addition to amounts made available under paragraph 
(1), there is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary to carry out this section $2,000,000 for 
fiscal year 2024, to remain available until expended. 
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(e) NO EFFECT ON PROJECT PURPOSES.—Nothing 
in this section affects the authorized purposes of a Corps 
of Engineers project. 
Æ 
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