IB 
Union Calendar No. 408 
119TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 2072 
[Report No. 119–477] 
To require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to extend the time 
period during which licensees are required to commence construction 
of certain hydropower projects. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 11, 2025 
Mr. NEWHOUSE (for himself, Mr. FULCHER, Mr. BAUMGARTNER, and Mr. 
FIELDS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Commerce 
FEBRUARY 2, 2026 
Additional sponsors: Ms. LETLOW, Mr. DELUZIO, Ms. LEE of Pennsylvania, 
Mr. BEGICH, Mr. RUIZ, and Ms. SCHRIER 
FEBRUARY 2, 2026 
Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 
and ordered to be printed 
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A BILL 
To require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to 
extend the time period during which licensees are re-
quired to commence construction of certain hydropower 
projects. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF TIME TO COMMENCE CON-
STRUCTION 
OF 
CERTAIN 
HYDROPOWER 
PROJECTS. 
(a) DEFINITION OF COVERED PROJECT.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘‘covered project’’ means a hydropower 
project with respect to which the Federal Energy Regu-
latory Commission issued a license before March 13, 2020. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION
OF
EXTENSION.—Notwith-
standing section 13 of the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 
806), on the request of a licensee of a covered project, 
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission may, after 
reasonable notice and for good cause shown, extend in ac-
cordance with subsection (c) the period during which the 
licensee is required to commence construction of the cov-
ered project for not more than an additional 6 years be-
yond the 8 years authorized by that section. 
(c) PERIOD OF EXTENSION.—An extension of time 
to commence construction of a covered project under sub-
section (b) shall— 
(1) consist of not more than 3 consecutive 2- 
year periods; 
(2) begin on the date on which the final exten-
sion of the period for commencement of construction 
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granted to the licensee under section 13 of the Fed-
eral Power Act (16 U.S.C. 806) expires; and 
(3) end on the date that is not more than 6 
years after the latest date to which the Federal En-
ergy Regulatory Commission is authorized to extend 
the period for commencement of construction under 
that section. 
(d) REINSTATEMENT OF EXPIRED LICENSE.—If the 
time period required under section 13 of the Federal 
Power Act (16 U.S.C. 806) to commence construction of 
a covered project expires after December 31, 2023, and 
before the date of enactment of this Act— 
(1) the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission 
may reinstate the license for the applicable project 
effective as of the date of expiration of the license; 
and 
(2) the extension authorized under subsection 
(b) shall take effect on the date of that expiration. 
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Union Calendar No. 408 
119TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 2072 
[Report No. 119–477] 
A BILL 
To require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commis-
sion to extend the time period during which li-
censees are required to commence construction of 
certain hydropower projects. 
FEBRUARY 2, 2026 
Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 
State of the Union and ordered to be printed 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:06 Feb 02, 2026
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
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