President Signs Two Hydropower Bills into Law

President Obama signed the Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act, H.R.267, and the Hydropower and Rural Jobs Act, H.R.678, into law. H.R. 267, introduced by Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), modifies the Federal Power Act and the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act to promote and facilitate the development of hydroelectric power capacity. H.R. 678, introduced by Representative Scott Tipton (R-CO), amends the Reclamation Project Act of 1939 to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to contract for small conduit hydropower development at Reclamation facilities.