Here is some interesting language fromt eh new energy bill - HR 2454 (American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009). I believe this has passed the House
and is now on to the Senate - so it is not yet enacted.
If you want to see the whole thing go to:
If this were to all be passed, and the USACE evaluated exisitng hydro projects:
1 - I wonder what this will mean to our fishing on the White and Norfork?? It could certainly impact minimum flow issues - one way or the other.
2 - I wonder what this will mean to anadromous fisheries??
3 - Does anyone know if TU is following this?
Note that this would apply only to federal facilities - not privately owned hydro dams. Also, realize that any federal expenditure to upgrade a facilty would require a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review - likely an Environmental Impact Statement preparation.
(b) CONTENT.-The update 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 Committees on Energy and Commerce, Natural Resources, and Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report on the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the update of the study under this section by not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act. The report shall include each of the following:
(1) The identifications, descriptions, and estimations referred to in subsection (b).
(2) A description of activities currently conducted or considered, or that could be considered, to produce additional hydroelectric power from each identified facility.
(3) A summary of prior actions 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 additional hydroelectric power from each identified facility, and the level of Federal power customer involvement in the 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 increase hydroelectric power production by replacing turbine runners, by performing generator upgrades or rewinds, or by construction of pumped storage facilities.
(7) The impact of increased hydroelectric power production on irrigation, water supply, fish, wildlife, Indian tribes, river health, water quality, navigation, recreation, fishing, and flood control.
(8) Any additional recommendations to increase hydroelectric power production from, and reduce costs and improve efficiency at, federally owned or operated water regulation, storage, and conveyance facilities.
If you want to see the whole thing go to:
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h2454eh.txt.pdf
If this were to all be passed, and the USACE evaluated exisitng hydro projects:
1 - I wonder what this will mean to our fishing on the White and Norfork?? It could certainly impact minimum flow issues - one way or the other.
2 - I wonder what this will mean to anadromous fisheries??
3 - Does anyone know if TU is following this?
Note that this would apply only to federal facilities - not privately owned hydro dams. Also, realize that any federal expenditure to upgrade a facilty would require a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review - likely an Environmental Impact Statement preparation.
Subtitle J-Miscellaneous
SEC. 195. INCREASED HYDROELECTRIC GENERATION AT EXISTING FEDERAL FACILITIES.
(a) IN GENERAL.-The Secretary of the Interior, the Secretary of Energy, and the Secretary of the Army shall jointly update the study of the potential for increasing electric power production capability at federally owned or operated water regulation, storage, and conveyance facilities required in section 1834 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.(b) CONTENT.-The update 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 Committees on Energy and Commerce, Natural Resources, and Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report on the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the update of the study under this section by not later than 12 months after the date of enactment of this Act. The report shall include each of the following:
(1) The identifications, descriptions, and estimations referred to in subsection (b).
(2) A description of activities currently conducted or considered, or that could be considered, to produce additional hydroelectric power from each identified facility.
(3) A summary of prior actions 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 additional hydroelectric power from each identified facility, and the level of Federal power customer involvement in the 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 increase hydroelectric power production by replacing turbine runners, by performing generator upgrades or rewinds, or by construction of pumped storage facilities.
(7) The impact of increased hydroelectric power production on irrigation, water supply, fish, wildlife, Indian tribes, river health, water quality, navigation, recreation, fishing, and flood control.
(8) Any additional recommendations to increase hydroelectric power production from, and reduce costs and improve efficiency at, federally owned or operated water regulation, storage, and conveyance facilities.
