Lawmakers question FERC licensing process for dams in West Virginia

west virgina dam

WASHINGTON -

As federal lawmakers plan to consider a bill that would expand Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) licensing authority, questions emerged on Tuesday about the process used by FERC to issue two hydropower licenses for existing dams in West Virginia.

In a letter to FERC Chairman Neil Chatterjee, Democratic leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee raised questions about hydropower licenses issued for two dams operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Monongahela River in West Virginia.

U.S. Reps. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Energy, Bobby Rush (D-IL), the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Environment, and John Sarbanes (D-MD) questioned why FERC did not incorporate all conditions outlined in a West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection water quality certificate into plans for the projects.

“By denying the state its allotted time to review this application and submit requirements on these licenses, FERC is undermining the state’s authority under the Clean Water Act and Federal Power Act to impose conditions that will ensure water quality standards are met,” the letter stated.

The House of Representatives was slated to consider the Hydropower Policy Modernization Act of 2017, H.R. 3043, later in the week. The measure would expand FERC authority over licensing processes. Opponents of the bill argue that the changes would make it more difficult for states to protect their clean water interests.

“States’ requirements are not likely to be fulfilled by an incomplete application,” the letter stated. “It, therefore, appears counterproductive to start the ‘shot clock’ on the issuance of a water quality certificate at the point when a state receives a request because it is possible that request may be deficient with respect to information required by the state to issue a valid certificate. This may even create a perverse incentive wherein an applicant may actually be rewarded for submitting an incomplete application by not being required to meet some or all water quality conditions imposed by a state. Such a situation is unacceptable under the current statutory regime, and gives us serious concern over any legislative proposal that would provide FERC more authority to set the hydroelectric licensing schedule.”

West Virginia has announced plans to challenge FERC hydropower licenses for the dams on the Monongahela River.

Related News

Group to create Canadian cyber standards for electricity sector IoT devices

TORONTO - The Canadian energy sector has been buying Internet-connected sensors for monitoring a range of activities in generating plants, distribution networks and home smart meters for several years. However, so far industrial IoT device makers have been creating their own security standards for devices, leaving energy producers and utilities at their mercy.

The industry hopes to change that by creating national cybersecurity standards for industrial IoT devices, with the goal of improving its ability to predict, prevent, respond to and recover from cyber threats.

To help, the federal government today announced an $818,000 grant support a CIO Strategy Council project oversee…

READ MORE
franklin energy

Franklin Energy and Consumers Energy Support Small Businesses During COVID-19 with Virtual Energy Coaching

READ MORE

Ontario explores possibility of new, large scale nuclear plants

Ontario explores possibility of new, large scale nuclear plants

READ MORE

Russ Urban, president of High Hotels Ltd

Pennsylvania Home to the First 100% Solar, Marriott-Branded U.S. Hotel

READ MORE

powerline worker

Global push needed to ensure "clean, affordable and sustainable electricity" for all

READ MORE