First Hearing Held on Smith's Small Scale Hydropower Act

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) today participated in the House Committee on Natural Resources Water and Power Subcommittee’s hearing about the bipartisan Small Scale Hydropower Enhancement Act (H.R. 795), which he introduced in February.

"Hydropower can and should play a critical role in our nation’s clean, affordable, and reliable energy future," Smith said. "Most think hydropower is a resource requiring a massive dam, but advancements in smaller hydropower projects offer tremendous opportunity to expand this energy resource as a viable option for rural consumers. This bill would help stimulate the economy of rural America, empower local irrigation districts to generate revenue and increase domestic energy production - all at no cost to taxpayers."

Smith continued, "In addition to expanding clean, renewable energy, this bill explicitly removes one-size-fits-all federal regulations which stifle entrepreneurship and economic development across the nation. Catch-all federal regulations – many of which are unnecessary or outdated – stifle innovation in the small scale hydropower field by making projects financially prohibitive."

H.R. 975 would exempt hydropower projects generating less than one and a half megawatts from the Federal Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) permitting rules. FERC regulates the licensing and inspection of private, municipal, and state hydroelectric projects.