{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-schrier-introduces-bill-enhance-hydropower-infrastructure-safety-and-fish", "Rep. Schrier Introduces Bill to Enhance Hydropower Infrastructure, Safety, and Fish Migration", "2023-12-08", "2023", "2023-12", "Democrat", "House", "WA", "Kim Schrier", "S001216", "schrier.house.gov", "schrier", "https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Reps. Kim Schrier, M.D. (D-WA), Adrian Smith (R-NE), Annie Kuster (D-NH), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Claudia Tenney (R-NY), and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) introduced the bipartisan Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity and River Restoration Act of 2023. This legislation would incentivize investments to strengthen hydropower safety, improve fish migration, and enhance river health.\n\nThe Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity and River Restoration Act would establish a 30 percent federal Investment Tax Credit for projects relating to dam safety, fish passage, environmental upgrades, and water quality. The bill also creates a new federal cost-share to incentivize the removal of obsolete river obstructions that harm river ecosystems and impede outdoor recreation. These investments will help restore river health, enhance public safety, and support the benefits of hydroelectricity.\n\nSome of the investments eligible for this credit include projects that:\n\nAdd or improve fish passage or fish-friendly turbines at a qualified dam,\n\nImproves and maintains water quality,\n\nManages river sediment transport and habitat maintenance,\n\nUpgrade, repair, or reconstruct a qualified dam to meet the Federal dam safety and security standards,\n\nImproves public use of and access to public waterways impacted by existing dams,\n\nRemoves obsolete river obstructions that no longer meet their intended purpose or benefit to society.\n\n\u201cHydropower is the largest source of electricity in Washington state, comprising 67% of the energy generation mix. It\u2019s important we invest in the safety of this reliable, affordable resource to achieve our emissions goals while restoring river health and safe passage for salmon and steelhead populations,\u201d said Rep. Schrier. \u201cThis legislation will incentivize safer hydroelectric energy production while also enhancing aquatic ecosystems, water quality, and public use upgrades.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs an affordable and highly sustainable source of energy, hydroelectric power is a valuable component of an all-of-the-above strategy for American energy dominance. H.R. 6653 addresses the primarily frontloaded development cost of hydropower to maximize infrastructure investment, energy savings, and stewardship of our natural resources,\u201d said Rep. Smith. \u201cIn an increasingly competitive global energy market, the United States cannot afford to leave any opportunity to increase energy production on the table. I thank Reps. DelBene, Tenney, Kuster, Fitzpatrick, Schrier and our colleagues in the Senate for their cooperation on this bipartisan legislation.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe must embrace an all-of-the-above approach to meet our clean energy goals \u2013 hydropower is a critical part of the effort,\u201d said Rep. Kuster. \u201cThis legislation is a key step forward toward improving dam safety, increasing hydroelectricity production, and enhancing the health of our nation\u2019s rivers. Let\u2019s get this done!\u201d\n\n\u201cWashington has long been a trailblazer in leveraging hydropower to provide clean, affordable energy and this legislation would help us build on that success,\u201d said Rep. DelBene. \u201cThe bill would create a new tax incentive for hydropower facilities to enhance the safety of dams, protect and enhance fish habitat and passage across the Pacific Northwest, improve grid resiliency, and water quality. This will help lower energy costs for Washingtonians and help us meet our emissions reduction goals.\u201d\n\n\u201cIncentivizing renewable energy, including hydroelectricity, is a proven way to transition to a clean energy future,\u201d said Rep. Fitzpatrick. \u201cOur bipartisan Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity and River Restoration Act implements a 30 percent investment tax credit for improvements to hydroelectric facilities to further tap into renewable energy resources in Pennsylvania and nationwide.\u201d\n\n\u201cA clean energy grid requires water power to complement wind and solar for 24/7 reliability,\u201d said Malcolm Woolf, President and CEO of the National Hydropower Association. \u201cI send my deepest gratitude to Representatives Smith and DelBene for carrying forward this vital priority in the House. Hydropower currently provides an estimated 30 million American homes with zero-carbon electricity. Yet almost half of the non-federal hydropower fleet faces expensive relicensing in the next several years, with 17,000 MWs of flexible, carbon-free generation at risk of premature retirement. This bill, like its Senate counterpart, will help preserve the existing fleet by enabling facilities to make environmental and dam safety enhancements \u2013 outcomes that will lead to healthier rivers and a more reliable grid. I urge Congress to pass this bill as soon as possible; our industry, our environment, and the energy needs of Americans can\u2019t wait a moment longer.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T01:14:16Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://schrier.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-schrier-introduces-bill-enhance-hydropower-infrastructure-safety-and-fish"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0009030811488628, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}