McMorris Rodgers and DeGette applaud Senate's unanimous passage of bipartisan Hydropower Bill

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) and Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), authors of H.R. 267, the _Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act_, applauded the unanimous approval of their bill in the U.S. Senate today. Their legislation will facilitate the development of small hydropower and conduit projects and direct the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to study the feasibility of a streamlined two-year permitting process.

“In Eastern Washington, hydropower plays a pivotal role – whether it’s conventional, small, or conduit hydro – it provides 75 percent of electricity to the Pacific Northwest and represents a unique opportunity for job creation and energy production. It’s clean, reliable, renewable and affordable. Unleashing American ingenuity to increase hydropower production will lower energy costs and help create thousands of jobs. The future of American energy independence depends on the development of an ‘all of the above’ energy approach – in which hydro must play a crucial role. Our bill is timely and targeted and it will create jobs and bolster America’s competitiveness in the energy sector," said Rep. McMorris Rodgers.

“With the Senate passage of our bill, today we launch a new path toward smarter, more efficient hydropower project permitting, and it’s a victory for us all that we are doing so on a bipartisan basis,” said Rep. DeGette. “For a state like Colorado, and indeed the entire nation, this legislation will expand renewable and affordable hydropower – far and away our nation’s largest source of clean energy – and create good jobs for American families. We now look forward to the President signing this bill into law as a bipartisan initiative that helps get Americans back to work and takes a step forward in our nation’s clean energy leadership.”

The Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act passed in the House on Feb. 13, 2013 with unanimous support.