Protect Our Waters and Expand Renewables on Our Reservoirs Act
Bill: H.R.9399 | Sponsor: Rep. Tonko, Paul (D-NY)
Policy area: Energy

Summary:
Protect Our Waters and Expand Renewables on Our Reservoirs Act or the POWER Our Reservoirs Act
This bill requires the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation to study the feasibility of and, if supported by the results of the study, carry out pilot programs deploying floating photovoltaic solar panels at specified projects.

To require assessments of opportunities to install and maintain 
floating photovoltaic solar panels at Corps of Engineers and Bureau of 
             Reclamation projects, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 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''.

SEC. 2. FLOATING SOLAR ENERGY AT CORPS OF ENGINEERS PROJECTS.

    (a) Assessment.--
            (1) In general.--The Chief of Engineers shall, at Federal 
        expense, conduct an assessment, in consultation with the 
        Secretary of Energy, of opportunities to install and maintain 
        floating photovoltaic solar panels at Corps of Engineers 
        projects.
            (2) Contents.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the Chief of 
        Engineers shall--
                    (A) describe the economic, environmental, and 
                technical viability of installing and maintaining, or 
                contracting with third parties to install and maintain, 
                floating photovoltaic solar panels at Corps of 
                Engineers projects;
                    (B) identify Corps of Engineers projects with a 
                high potential for the installation and maintenance of 
                floating photovoltaic solar panels, and whether such 
                installation and maintenance would require additional 
                authorization;
                    (C) account for potential effects on Corps of 
                Engineers projects, and the authorized purposes of such 
                projects, of installing and maintaining floating 
                photovoltaic solar panels at such projects, including 
                potential effects related to evaporation suppression, 
                energy yield, dam safety, recreation, water quality, 
                and fish and wildlife;
                    (D) account for potential damage to floating 
                photovoltaic solar panels from weather, water level 
                fluctuations, and recreational and other uses of the 
                Corps of Engineers projects; and
                    (E) account for the availability of electric grid 
                infrastructure close to Corps of Engineers projects, 
                including underutilized transmission infrastructure.
    (b) Report to Congress.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Chief of Engineers shall submit to Congress, 
and make publicly available (including on a publicly available 
website), a report containing the results of the assessment conducted 
under subsection (a).
    (c) Sustainability Reports.--Beginning not later than 24 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Chief of Engineers shall 
include renewable energy from floating photovoltaic solar panels as 
part of any Sustainability Report and Implementation Plan of the Corps 
of Engineers.
    (d) Pilot Program.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 24 months after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, if supported by the results of the 
        assessment conducted under subsection (a), the Chief of 
        Engineers shall establish a pilot program for the deployment of 
        floating photovoltaic solar panels at Corps of Engineers 
        projects identified under paragraph (2)(B) of such subsection 
        with respect to which any applicable non-Federal interest for 
        the project--
                    (A) agrees to invest in and deploy floating 
                photovoltaic solar panels; and
                    (B) has the authority to enter into agreements, 
                including through public-private partnerships, for the 
                purpose of carrying out such activities.
            (2) Cost share.--In carrying out a project under this 
        subsection, the Chief of Engineers may cover up to 100 percent 
        of the cost of such project.
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Chief of Engineers $12,000,000, to remain available 
until expended, to carry out this section.
    (f) No Effect on Project Purposes.--Nothing in this section affects 
the authorized purposes of a Corps of Engineers project.
    (g) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Chief of engineers.--The term ``Chief of Engineers'' 
        means the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of 
        Engineers.
            (2) Corps of engineers project.--The term ``Corps of 
        Engineers project'' means any water resources development 
        project constructed by the Chief of Engineers or for which the 
        Chief of Engineers has financial or operational responsibility.

SEC. 3. FLOATING SOLAR ENERGY AT BUREAU OF RECLAMATION PROJECTS.

    (a) Assessment.--
            (1) In general.--The Commissioner shall, at Federal 
        expense, conduct an assessment, in consultation with the 
        Secretary of Energy, of opportunities to install and maintain 
        floating photovoltaic solar panels at Reclamation projects.
            (2) Contents.--In carrying out paragraph (1), the 
        Commissioner shall--
                    (A) describe the economic, environmental, and 
                technical feasibility of installing and maintaining, or 
                contracting with third parties to install and maintain, 
                photovoltaic solar panels at Reclamation projects;
                    (B) identify Reclamation projects with a high 
                potential for the installation and maintenance of 
                floating photovoltaic solar panels, and whether such 
                installation and maintenance would require additional 
                authorization;
                    (C) account for potential effects on Reclamation 
                projects, and the authorized purposes of such projects, 
                of installing and maintaining floating photovoltaic 
                solar panels at such projects, including potential 
                effects related to evaporation suppression, energy 
                yield, dam safety, recreation, water quality, and fish 
                and wildlife;
                    (D) account for potential damage to floating 
                photovoltaic solar panels from weather, water level 
                fluctuations, and recreational and other uses of the 
                Reclamation projects; and
                    (E) account for the availability of electric grid 
                infrastructure close to Reclamation projects, including 
                underutilized transmission infrastructure.
    (b) Report to Congress.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Commissioner shall submit to Congress, and 
make publicly available (including on a publicly available website), a 
report containing the results of the assessment conducted under 
subsection (a).
    (c) Pilot Program.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 24 months after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, if supported by the results of the 
        assessment conducted under subsection (a), the Commissioner 
        shall establish a pilot program for the deployment of floating 
        photovoltaic solar panels at Reclamation projects identified 
        under paragraph (2)(B) of such subsection with respect to which 
        any applicable non-Federal entity for the project--
                    (A) agrees to invest in and deploy floating 
                photovoltaic solar panels; and
                    (B) has the authority to enter into agreements, 
                including through public-private partnerships, for the 
                purpose of carrying out such activities.
            (2) Cost share.--In carrying out a project under this 
        subsection, the Commissioner may cover up to 100 percent of the 
        cost of such project.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Commissioner $12,000,000, to remain available until 
expended, to carry out this section.
    (e) No Effect on Project Purposes.--Nothing in this section affects 
the authorized purposes of a Reclamation project.
    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Commissioner.--The term ``Commissioner'' means the 
        Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Commissioner of 
        Reclamation.
            (2) Reclamation project.--The term ``Reclamation project'' 
        means--
                    (A) any reclamation or irrigation project, 
                including incidental features of the project--
                            (i) that is authorized by the Federal 
                        reclamation laws;
                            (ii) that is constructed by the United 
                        States pursuant to the Federal reclamation 
                        laws; or
                            (iii) in connection with which there is a 
                        repayment or water service contract executed by 
                        the United States pursuant to the Federal 
                        reclamation laws; or
                    (B) any project constructed by the Secretary of the 
                Interior for the reclamation of land.
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