Back to All
National Hydropower Day takes places on August 24, and it’s a yearly celebration of the importance of hydropower. Created by the National Hydropower Association (NHA) to provide a rallying point for the industry, National Hydropower Day is an excellent opportunity to share your organization’s accomplishments, projects, and community impact.
One powerful way to bring greater attention to the importance of hydropower is to invite Members of Congress and their staff to tour your facility, dam, hydroelectric project, factory, or warehouse. August is an ideal time for this invitation because legislators are on recess. “Recess” is the period when legislators return to their district to meet with constituents, conduct tours and site visits, and attend in-district events.
Legislators remain in the district for the entirety of August, so now is the time to extend your visit or tour invitation!
Offering a tour is a great way to elevate hydropower’s profile while educating lawmakers on the important role it plays in their communities. A visit on, or around, National Hydropower Day can be amplified via social media – don’t forget to use the hashtag #hydroday – and to promote important issues relevant to the hydropower industry, including hydro license reform and tax credits for environmental and safety upgrades at existing facilities.
Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), speaks at the podium in front of the Ice Harbor Dam in Washington, following a tour. Also pictured: representatives (left to right) Matt Rosendale, R.-Mont., Cliff Bentz, R-Ore., Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., and Marinnette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa.
HOW TO INVITE A LEGISLATOR
Reaching out to a legislator regarding a tour opportunity this August is a simple yet powerful way to celebrate National Hydropower Day. To those who haven’t corresponded with a legislator before, below are five easy steps on the invitation process, as well as an email template to get you started.
To submit an invitation, simply follow the below steps:
- Identify your Legislators: To find your Member of the House of Representatives, please reference the United States House of Representatives website here. To find your U.S. Senators, please use this list.
- Identify the Office Scheduler: Use this spreadsheet to find the office Scheduler. They will be responsible for processing the request.
- Email your Invitation: Use this e-mail template to extend the invitation to the Congressional Office. Send the request directly to the Scheduler.
- Follow Up: Members of Congress and their staff receive many requests. If you have not heard back after a week, follow up with the scheduler by e-mail or phone.
- Thank The Office: After the visit or tour concludes, be sure to thank the office and reiterate the importance of hydropower as a renewable, reliable energy source. Feel free to ask for their support of S. 1521, the Community and Hydropower Improvement Act and H.R. 4045, the Hydropower Clean Energy Future Act.
- Post to Social: Lastly, check out NHA’s #HydroDay social media toolkit, and don’t forget to post the visit to social media, utilizing the hashtag #hydroday to elevate your message.
Please note that if the Member of Congress is unavailable, they may send their District Director or another staff member, which is just as impactful. Hosting a representative from the office is an effective way to engage with the office and make your voice and priorities heard.
Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) tours NorthWestern Energy’s Rainbow Dam.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
If you secure a visit, please coordinate with the staff at NHA. You can email Matthew Allen, Director of Legislative Affairs, matthew@hydro.org, Brittney May, Legislative Affairs Manager, brittney@hydro.org, or Kelly Rogers, Manager, Policy and Communications, kelly@hydro.org with more information.
NHA has also created a social media toolkit with “Save the Date” reminders and more; access it here. Also, don’t forget to tag your social media with “#HydroDay” so that NHA can amplify your messaging.
