Hydropower Licensing Transparency Act

Bill: 119-hr-3657
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8]
Introduced: 2025-05-29
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Alternative and renewable resources

Electric power generation and transmission

Licensing and registrations
Latest action: action_date: 2025-07-15
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Summaries:
action_date: 2025-05-29
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><strong>Hydropower Relicensing Transparency Act</strong></p><p>This bill directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to report annually to Congress on the status of the&nbsp;relicensing process for each application for a renewed hydropower dam license.</p>

tv_txt: IIB 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3657 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 15, 2025 Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources AN ACT To amend the Federal Power Act to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to annually submit to Congress a report on the status of ongoing hydropower relicensing applications.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Hydropower Licensing Transparency Act . 2. Annual licensing status report The Federal Power Act is amended by inserting after section 36 ( 16 U.S.C. 823g ) the following: 37. Annual licensing status report (a) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Commission shall submit to Congress a report on the status of— (1) the licensing process for each new license, and for each subsequent license for which sections 14 and 15 have been waived, for which the existing licensee has notified the Commission under section 15(b)(1) at least 3 years prior to submission of the report that such existing licensee intends to file an application for such new license or subsequent license, but such new license or subsequent license has not yet been issued under section 15; and (2) the licensing process for each original license under section 4(e) for which a citizen, association, corporation, State, Indian Tribe, or municipality has notified the Commission, pursuant to applicable regulations, at least 3 years prior to submission of the report that such citizen, association, corporation, State, Indian Tribe, or municipality intends to file an application for such original license, but such original license has not yet been issued under section 4(e). (b) Inclusions Each report submitted under subsection (a) shall include, with respect to the licensing process for each new license and subsequent license described in such subsection and the licensing process for each original license described in such subsection— (1) the date the notice of intent described in such subsection was provided to the Commission; (2) any docket number assigned with respect to such licensing process; (3) whether any application for such new license, such subsequent license, or such original license has been filed; (4) information regarding the status of any such application, including the date the Commission anticipates it will issue such original license, such subsequent license, or such new license; (5) the date of any upcoming proceeding or other meeting related to such original license, such subsequent license, or such new license; and (6) a description of any ongoing or completed actions required of the existing licensee, citizen, association, corporation, State, Indian Tribe, municipality, the Commission, the fish and wildlife agencies referred to in section 15(b), and any other agencies. (c) Disaggregation of information by license type The information included in each report submitted under subsection (a) shall be disaggregated by whether the information relates to a new license, or a subsequent license, issued under section 15 or an original license issued under section 4(e). .

Passed the House of Representatives July 14, 2025. Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk.

tv_txt: IB 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3657 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AN ACT To amend the Federal Power Act to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to annually submit to Congress a report on the status of ongoing hydropower relicensing applications.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Hydropower Licensing Transparency Act . 2. Annual licensing status report The Federal Power Act is amended by inserting after section 36 ( 16 U.S.C. 823g ) the following: 37. Annual licensing status report (a) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Commission shall submit to Congress a report on the status of— (1) the licensing process for each new license, and for each subsequent license for which sections 14 and 15 have been waived, for which the existing licensee has notified the Commission under section 15(b)(1) at least 3 years prior to submission of the report that such existing licensee intends to file an application for such new license or subsequent license, but such new license or subsequent license has not yet been issued under section 15; and (2) the licensing process for each original license under section 4(e) for which a citizen, association, corporation, State, Indian Tribe, or municipality has notified the Commission, pursuant to applicable regulations, at least 3 years prior to submission of the report that such citizen, association, corporation, State, Indian Tribe, or municipality intends to file an application for such original license, but such original license has not yet been issued under section 4(e). (b) Inclusions Each report submitted under subsection (a) shall include, with respect to the licensing process for each new license and subsequent license described in such subsection and the licensing process for each original license described in such subsection— (1) the date the notice of intent described in such subsection was provided to the Commission; (2) any docket number assigned with respect to such licensing process; (3) whether any application for such new license, such subsequent license, or such original license has been filed; (4) information regarding the status of any such application, including the date the Commission anticipates it will issue such original license, such subsequent license, or such new license; (5) the date of any upcoming proceeding or other meeting related to such original license, such subsequent license, or such new license; and (6) a description of any ongoing or completed actions required of the existing licensee, citizen, association, corporation, State, Indian Tribe, municipality, the Commission, the fish and wildlife agencies referred to in section 15(b), and any other agencies. (c) Disaggregation of information by license type The information included in each report submitted under subsection (a) shall be disaggregated by whether the information relates to a new license, or a subsequent license, issued under section 15 or an original license issued under section 4(e). .

Passed the House of Representatives July 14, 2025. Kevin F. McCumber, Clerk.

tv_txt: IB Union Calendar No. 157 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3657 [Report No. 119–193] IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 29, 2025 Ms. Schrier (for herself and Mr. Fulcher ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce July 10, 2025 Additional sponsors: Mr. Gray and Mr. Langworthy July 10, 2025 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on May 29, 2025 A BILL To amend the Federal Power Act to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to annually submit to Congress a report on the status of ongoing hydropower relicensing applications.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Hydropower Licensing Transparency Act . 2. Annual licensing status report The Federal Power Act is amended by inserting after section 36 ( 16 U.S.C. 823g ) the following: 37. Annual licensing status report (a) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Commission shall submit to Congress a report on the status of— (1) the licensing process for each new license, and for each subsequent license for which sections 14 and 15 have been waived, for which the existing licensee has notified the Commission under section 15(b)(1) at least 3 years prior to submission of the report that such existing licensee intends to file an application for such new license or subsequent license, but such new license or subsequent license has not yet been issued under section 15; and (2) the licensing process for each original license under section 4(e) for which a citizen, association, corporation, State, Indian Tribe, or municipality has notified the Commission, pursuant to applicable regulations, at least 3 years prior to submission of the report that such citizen, association, corporation, State, Indian Tribe, or municipality intends to file an application for such original license, but such original license has not yet been issued under section 4(e). (b) Inclusions Each report submitted under subsection (a) shall include, with respect to the licensing process for each new license and subsequent license described in such subsection and the licensing process for each original license described in such subsection— (1) the date the notice of intent described in such subsection was provided to the Commission; (2) any docket number assigned with respect to such licensing process; (3) whether any application for such new license, such subsequent license, or such original license has been filed; (4) information regarding the status of any such application, including the date the Commission anticipates it will issue such original license, such subsequent license, or such new license; (5) the date of any upcoming proceeding or other meeting related to such original license, such subsequent license, or such new license; and (6) a description of any ongoing or completed actions required of the existing licensee, citizen, association, corporation, State, Indian Tribe, municipality, the Commission, the fish and wildlife agencies referred to in section 15(b), and any other agencies. (c) Disaggregation of information by license type The information included in each report submitted under subsection (a) shall be disaggregated by whether the information relates to a new license, or a subsequent license, issued under section 15 or an original license issued under section 4(e). .

July 10, 2025 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

tv_txt: I 119th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3657 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 29, 2025 Ms. Schrier (for herself and Mr. Fulcher ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To amend the Federal Power Act to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to annually submit to Congress a report on the status of ongoing hydropower relicensing applications.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Hydropower Relicensing Transparency Act . 2. Annual relicensing status report Section 15 of the Federal Power Act ( 16 U.S.C. 808 ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (g) (1) Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this subsection, and annually thereafter, the Commission shall submit to Congress a report on the status of the licensing process for each new license for which an existing licensee has notified the Commission under subsection (b)(1) at least 3 years prior to submission of the report that such licensee intends to file an application for such new license, but such new license has not yet been issued under this section. (2) Each report submitted under paragraph (1) shall include, with respect to the licensing process for each new license described in such paragraph— (A) the date notice was provided to the Commission under subsection (b)(1); (B) any docket number assigned with respect to such licensing process; (C) whether any application for a new license has been filed; (D) information regarding the status of any such application, including the date the Commission anticipates it will issue the new license; (E) any upcoming proceeding or other meeting related to such new license; and (F) any ongoing or completed actions required of the existing licensee, the Commission, the fish and wildlife agencies referred to in subsection (b) of this section, and any other agencies. .