S. 1020

S1020 ENR: To require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to extend the time period during which licensees are required to commence construction of certain hydropower projects.
 U.S. Senate
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 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
     One Hundred Nineteenth Congress of the United States of America
     2d Session
     Begun and held at the City of Washington on Saturday, the third day of January, two thousand and twenty six
     S. 1020
     IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
     AN ACT
To require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to extend the time period during which licensees are required to commence construction of certain hydropower projects.
1.
Extension of time to commence construction of certain hydropower projects
(a)
Definition of covered project
In this section, the term  covered project  means a hydropower project with respect to which the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a license before March 13, 2020.
(b)
Authorization of extension
Notwithstanding section 13 of the Federal Power Act ( 16 U.S.C. 806 ), on the request of a licensee of a covered project, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission may, after reasonable notice and for good cause shown, extend in accordance with subsection (c) the period during which the licensee is required to commence construction of the covered project for not more than an additional 6 years beyond the 8 years authorized by that section.
(c)
Period of extension
An extension of time to commence construction of a covered project under subsection (b) shall—
(1)
consist of not more than 3 consecutive 2-year periods;
(2)
begin on the date on which the final extension of the period for commencement of construction granted to the licensee under section 13 of the Federal Power Act ( 16 U.S.C. 806 ) expires; and
(3)
end on the date that is not more than 6 years after the latest date to which the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is authorized to extend the period for commencement of construction under that section.
(d)
Reinstatement of Expired License
If the time period required under section 13 of the Federal Power Act ( 16 U.S.C. 806 ) to commence construction of a covered project expires after December 31, 2023, and before the date of enactment of this Act—
(1)
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission may reinstate the license for the applicable project effective as of the date of expiration of the license; and
(2)
the extension authorized under subsection (b) shall take effect on the date of that expiration.
  Speaker of the House of Representatives  Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate