Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act of 2012

Bill: 112-hr-2842
Sponsor: Rep. Tipton, Scott  R. [R-CO-3]
Introduced: 2011-09-06 in the House
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Dams and canals
Electric power generation and transmission
Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
Water use and supply

Summary:
action_date: 2011-09-06
text: 
Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act of 2011 - Amends the Reclamation Project Act of 1939 to authorize the Secretary of the Interior (acting through the Bureau of Reclamation) to contract for the development of small conduit hydropower at Bureau facilities.
 
Defines: (1) small as 1.5 megawatts or less, and (2) conduit as a tunnel, canal, pipeline, aqueduct, flume, ditch, or similar manmade water conveyance.
 
Requires that power privilege leases be offered first to an irrigation district or water users association operating or receiving water from the applicable transferred or reserved work. 
 
Defines: (1) reserved work as any conduit included in project works whose care, operation, and maintenance has been reserved by the Secretary (through the Bureau); and (2) transferred work as any conduit included in project works whose care, operation, and maintenance has been transferred to a legally organized water users association or irrigation district.
 
Exempts the small conduit hydropower development authorized by this Act from the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), except with respect to siting of associated transmission on federal lands.
 
Makes the Bureau's Power Resources Office the lead office for such small conduit hydropower policy and procedure-setting activities. (Thus excludes such activities from the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [FERC].)
 
Declares that nothing in this Act shall: (1) obligate specified power administrations to purchase or market the power produced by such facilities, (2) alter or impede the delivery and management of water for original project purposes, or (3) alter or affect any existing agreements for conduit hydropower development projects or disposition of revenues. Deems water used for conduit hydropower generation to be incidental to use of water for the original project purposes.

action_date: 2011-12-01
text: 
Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act of 2011 - Amends the Reclamation Project Act of 1939 to authorize the Secretary of the Interior (acting through the Bureau of Reclamation) to contract for the development of small conduit hydropower at Bureau facilities.
 
Defines: (1) small as 1.5 megawatts or less; and (2) conduit as a tunnel, canal, pipeline, aqueduct, flume, ditch, or similar manmade water conveyance.
 
Requires that power privilege leases be offered first to an irrigation district or water users association operating or receiving water from the applicable transferred or reserved work.
 
Defines: (1) reserved work as any conduit included in project works whose care, operation, and maintenance has been reserved by the Secretary (through the Bureau); and (2) transferred work as any conduit included in project works whose care, operation, and maintenance has been transferred to a legally organized water users association or irrigation district. 
 
Exempts the small conduit hydropower development authorized by this Act from the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), except with respect to siting of associated transmission on federal lands.
 
Makes the Bureau's Power Resources Office the lead office for such small conduit hydropower policy and procedure-setting activities. (Thus excludes such activities from the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [FERC].)
 
Declares that nothing in this Act shall: (1) obligate specified power administrations to purchase or market the power produced by such facilities, (2) alter or impede the delivery and management of water for original project purposes, or (3) alter or affect any existing agreements for conduit hydropower development projects or disposition of revenues. Deems water used for conduit hydropower generation to be incidental to use of water for the original project purposes.
 
Allows the lease of power privilege only when the exercise of the lease will not be incompatible with, or create unmitigated financial or physical impacts to, the applicable project or division.
 
Directs the Secretary to: (1) notify and consult with the appropriate irrigation district or water users association operating a transferred conduit before offering such a lease; and (2) prescribe terms and conditions to protect the planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and other interests of the United States and the project or division involved.

action_date: 2012-03-07
text: 
Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act of 2012 - Amends the Reclamation Project Act of 1939 to authorize the Secretary of the Interior (acting through the Bureau of Reclamation) to contract for the development of small conduit hydropower at Bureau facilities.
 
Defines: (1) &quot;small&quot; as 1.5 megawatts or less; and (2) &quot;conduit&quot; as a tunnel, canal, pipeline, aqueduct, flume, ditch, or similar manmade water conveyance.
 
Requires that power privilege leases be offered first to an irrigation district or water users association operating or receiving water from the applicable transferred or reserved work.
 
Defines: (1) reserved work as any conduit included in project works whose care, operation, and maintenance has been reserved by the Secretary (through the Bureau); and (2) transferred work as any conduit included in project works whose care, operation, and maintenance has been transferred to a legally organized water users association or irrigation district. 
 
Exempts the small conduit hydropower development authorized by this Act from the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), except with respect to siting of associated transmission on federal lands.
 
Makes the Bureau's Power Resources Office the lead office for such small conduit hydropower policy and procedure-setting activities. (Thus excludes such activities from the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [FERC].)
 
Declares that nothing in this Act shall: (1) obligate specified power administrations to purchase or market the power produced by such facilities, (2) alter or impede the delivery and management of water for original project purposes, or (3) alter or affect any existing agreements for conduit hydropower development projects or disposition of revenues. Deems water used for conduit hydropower generation to be incidental to use of water for the original project purposes.
 
Allows the lease of power privilege only when the exercise of the lease will not be incompatible with, or create unmitigated financial or physical impacts to, the applicable project or division.
 
Directs the Secretary to: (1) notify and consult with the appropriate irrigation district or water users association operating a transferred conduit before offering such a lease; and (2) prescribe terms and conditions to protect the planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and other interests of the United States and the project or division involved.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-09-19
text: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 112-624.
action_date: 2012-03-08
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
action_date: 2012-03-07
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2012-03-07
text: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 265 - 154 (Roll no. 100).
action_date: 2012-03-07
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 265 - 154 (Roll no. 100).
action_date: 2012-03-07
text: On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by recorded vote: 182 - 237 (Roll no. 99). (consideration: CR H1234)
action_date: 2012-03-07
text: The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection. (consideration: CR H1233)
action_date: 2012-03-07
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Garamendi motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment to require that all materials used to install conduit hydropower generation under this Act to be manufactured in the United States.
action_date: 2012-03-07
text: Mr. Garamendi moved to recommit with instructions to Natural Resources. (consideration: CR H1232-1234; text: CR H1232)
action_date: 2012-03-07
text: The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. (consideration: CR H1232)
action_date: 2012-03-07
text: The House adopted the amendment in the nature of a substitute as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR 3/6/2012 H1187, H1187)
action_date: 2012-03-07
text: The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 2842.
action_date: 2012-03-07
text: UNFINISHED BUSINESS - The Chair announced that the unfinished business was the question of adoption of an amendment which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.
action_date: 2012-03-07
text: The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.
action_date: 2012-03-07
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H1231-1234)
action_date: 2012-03-06
text: Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H.R. 2842 as unfinished business.
action_date: 2012-03-06
text: On motion to rise Agreed to by voice vote.
action_date: 2012-03-06
text: Mr. Hastings (WA) moved to rise.
action_date: 2012-03-06
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 570, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Ellison amendment No. 3 under the five-minute rule.
action_date: 2012-03-06
text: POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Napolitano amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote, announced the noes had prevailed. Mrs. Napolitano demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.
action_date: 2012-03-06
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 570, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Napolitano amendment No. 1 under the five-minute rule.
action_date: 2012-03-06
text: DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 570, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Tipton amendment No. 2 under the five-minute rule.
action_date: 2012-03-06
text: GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 2842.
action_date: 2012-03-06
text: The Speaker designated the Honorable Jason Chaffetz to act as Chairman of the Committee.
action_date: 2012-03-06
text: House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 570 and Rule XVIII.
action_date: 2012-03-06
text: Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 2842 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Measure will be read by section. Specified amendments are in order. It shall be in order to consider as an original bill for the purpose of amendment under the five-minute rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Natural Resources now printed in the bill. All points of order against the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute are waived. (consideration: CR H1186)
action_date: 2012-03-06
text: Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 570. (consideration: CR H1180-1190)
action_date: 2012-03-06
text: Rule H. Res. 570 passed House.
action_date: 2012-03-05
text: Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 570 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 2842 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Measure will be read by section. Specified amendments are in order. It shall be in order to consider as an original bill for the purpose of amendment under the five-minute rule, the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Natural Resources now printed in the bill. All points of order against the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute are waived.
action_date: 2011-12-01
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 201.
action_date: 2011-12-01
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 112-301, Part I.
action_date: 2011-12-01
text: Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 112-301, Part I.
action_date: 2011-10-05
text: Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 30 - 12.
action_date: 2011-10-05
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
action_date: 2011-10-05
text: Subcommittee on Water and Power Discharged.
action_date: 2011-09-14
text: Subcommittee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2011-09-07
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Water and Power.
action_date: 2011-09-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
action_date: 2011-09-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2011-09-06
text: Introduced in House