Hundreds of advocates and hydropower industry representatives will be on Capitol Hill on Wednesday for a lobbying push aimed at ensuring the energy source is included in ongoing permitting reform discussions.
The National Hydropower Association is bringing roughly 400 members to meet with dozens of lawmakers and staff, with the goal of persuading Congress to enact permitting reforms for hydropower projects that need regulatory approval for upgrades and relicensing.
“This advocacy day is the largest fly-in the organization has ever had,” said Matthew Allen, NHA’s director of regulatory affairs. “And the big thing we will be asking for is permitting reform.”
Hydropower projects have been particularly affected by regulatory delays because of the aging nature of the nation’s water-powered electricity fleet. Up to 40 percent of nonfederal hydropower projects are operating at the end of their decades-old licenses.
