Commitment to Add Hydropower Reform to Manchin-Barrasso Permitting Bill Encouraging

Washington, DC (July 31, 2024) – Malcolm Woolf, President and CEO of the National Hydropower Association, issued the statement below on the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024. The legislation was approved today by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee by a 15-4 vote.

“While hydropower license reform amendments were not included in today’s permitting bill, we are reassured by statements from Chair Manchin and Ranking Member Barrasso of their joint commitment to update the antiquated hydropower licensing process before the bill moves to the Senate floor. Hydropower and pumped storage provide reliable, domestic, emission-free electricity to roughly 30 million Americans. Moreover, the nation faces serious grid reliability challenges due to the wave of hydropower license expirations in the next few years. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has been actively considering hydropower reform since its January 2022 hearing and we are looking forward to continuing to work with champions like Senators Murkowski, Daines, Cantwell, King and others to develop a bipartisan package that can be added to the final Senate energy permitting legislation.”

Media Contact: Copeland Tucker, 771-216-4699, copeland@hydro.org