WASHINGTON, DC - Continuing its efforts under the American Energy Initiative, the U.S. House of Representatives today approved H.R. 5892, the Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act. The legislation passed the House with unanimous support. Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Diana DeGette (D-CO) introduced the legislation to help facilitate the development of new hydropower projects across the country and create thousands of new American jobs.
The bipartisan legislation will reduce regulatory red tape and streamline the permitting process for new projects. Hydropower currently accounts for nearly 8 percent of America’s electricity generation portfolio. Estimates project that new hydropower development could produce up to 60,000 MW of new hydropower capacity and create over 700,000 jobs by 2025.
“Hydropower is an important component of our all-of-the-above energy strategy - it creates jobs and helps power our homes and businesses," said Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI). “I applaud my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on their efforts to cut through the red tape in order to get more of these projects up and running."
Watch McMorris Rodgers’ remarks in support of the legislation on the House floor here :
