To Extend the Deadline for Commencement of Construction of A Hydroelectric Project

Floor Speech

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Mr. NEWHOUSE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce my legislation that extends the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project in my district. Specifically, this legislation will provide for a commencement of construction deadline extension for the Enloe Dam Hydroelectric Project that is being developed in Washington State by the Okanogan Public Utility District, in partnership with Energy Northwest.

On July 9, 2013, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) granted the Okanogan Public Utility District an original license for the Enloe Dam Hydroelectric Project, which will be located at the existing Enloe Dam that is situated about 3.5 miles northwest of the City of Oroville in the State of Washington. The current Enloe Dam was constructed in 1920 on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land for power generation. However, operations ceased in 1958 when the extension of Bonneville Power Administration's high voltage transmission line into the Okanogan Valley provided a less expensive source of power. The proposed Enloe Dam Hydroelectric Project makes economic and environmental sense as it will convert currently untapped energy in existing flow releases into clean, renewable electricity.

The Enloe Dam Hydroelectric Project will have a footprint that is roughly half the size of the existing facility but will provide approximately three times the generating capacity of the decommissioned plant. Completion of the Project will provide Washingtonians and the Pacific Northwest region with a clean, renewable energy resource that generates an estimated 45,000 megawatt hours per year of carbon-free, renewable power. Additionally, the proposed project will create jobs and needed employment opportunities in a region with an unemployment rate that far exceeds the national average, underscoring the many positive benefits this project will have for the local community, state, and region.

The legislation will allow for development of this critical hydropower facility to move forward under a realistic regulatory timeline and in a manner consistent with prior Congressional actions on similar projects. By passing this measure and extending the commencement of construction deadline for the Enloe Dam Hydroelectric Project, Congress can help spur hydropower development in Central Washington and ensure the Project's many benefits are realized. For these reasons I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense legislation, which will have a positive and lasting impact on the region's energy supply and economic viability.

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