[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 779 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 779

 To provide for a study of the potential for increasing hydroelectric 
    power production at existing Federal facilities, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 10, 2005

Mr. Radanovich introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
      Committee on Resources, and in addition to the Committee on 
  Transportation and Infrastructure, for a period to be subsequently 
   determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such 
 provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide for a study of the potential for increasing hydroelectric 
    power production at existing Federal facilities, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Hydropower Enhancement Act 
of 2005''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds that--
            (1) Federal multi-purpose dams, reservoirs and associated 
        facilities with hydroelectric generation provide a valuable 
        power resource to electricity consumers, enhance recreational 
        pursuits and help meet various environmental needs;
            (2) hydroelectric generation is a renewable resource that 
        plays a significant role in meeting the growing power needs of 
        many communities throughout the Nation; and
            (3) the value of these and other Federal hydropower 
        facilities can be further enhanced to optimize more 
        hydroelectric generation.

SEC. 3. INCREASED HYDROELECTRIC POWER PRODUCTION CAPABILITY OF EXISTING 
              FEDERAL FACILITIES.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of 
Energy and the Secretary of the Army shall jointly conduct a study of 
the potential increasing electric power production capability at 
Federally owned or operated water regulation, storage, and conveyance 
facilities.
    (b) Content.--The study under this section shall include 
identification and description in detail of each facility that is 
capable, with or without modification, of producing additional 
hydroelectric power, including estimation of the existing potential for 
the facility to generate hydroelectric power.
    (c) Report.--The Secretaries shall submit to the Congress a report 
on the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the study under 
this section by not later than 18 months after the date of the 
enactment of this Act. The report shall include the following:
            (1) The identifications, descriptions, and estimations 
        referred to in subsection (b).
            (2) A description of activities the Secretary is currently 
        conducting or considering, or that could be considered, to 
        produce additional hydroelectric power from each identified 
        facility.
            (3) A summary of prior actions that taken by the 
        Secretaries to produce additional hydroelectric power from each 
        identified facility.
            (4) The costs to install, upgrade, or modify equipment or 
        take other actions to produce new or additional hydroelectric 
        power from each identified facility and the level of Federal 
        power customer involvement in the Secretary's determination of 
        such costs.
            (5) The benefits that would be achieved by such 
        installation, upgrade, modification, or other action, including 
        quantified estimates of any additional energy or capacity from 
        each facility identified under subsection (b).
            (6) A description of actions that are planned, underway, or 
        might reasonably be considered to create or increase 
        hydroelectric power production by replacing turbines.
            (7) The impact of increased hydroelectric power production 
        on irrigation, fish, wildlife, Indian tribes, river health, 
        water quality, navigation, recreation, fishing, and flood 
        control.
            (8) Any additional recommendations the Secretary considers 
        advisable to increase hydroelectric power production from, and 
        reduce costs and improve efficiency at, facilities under the 
        jurisdiction of the Secretary.
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