Requiring the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to Extend the Time Period During Which Licensees Are Required to Commence Construction of Certain Hydropower Projects

Floor Speech

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Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, hydropower produces affordable, reliable, and clean baseload power in Montana and across the United States. For years, I have worked with my colleagues to grow our hydropower portfolio in creating new jobs, lowering prices, and strengthening our grid.

I want to thank Senator Fetterman for joining me as my colead to push this bill across the finish line.

Our bipartisan bill, S. 1020, simply allows the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to extend licenses for the construction of new hydropower projects that have been affected by supply chain shortages back to 2020.

This bill passed the Senate last year by unanimous consent, and we can do that again here today. There are a number of projects whose licenses will expire if we don't pass my bill--projects in Montana, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Oregon, and Alaska--pumped storage projects that will help balance the grid and small projects that will also power rural communities. It is bipartisan and noncontroversial. It is one that we must pass today. The good news is, we do not have objections so it is going to pass today.

1020 and that the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.
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