National Dam and Hydropower Safety Act

Summary#

This bill amends parts of the Federal Power Act to strengthen dam and hydropower safety for projects licensed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). It adds requirements that dams and project works meet FERC's dam safety rules and that licensees manage, operate, and maintain them to protect dam safety and public safety. A new license may be issued only if the dam meets FERC safety requirements or the license includes a plan to fix noncompliance. FERC must set up procedures to check the financial viability of license applicants to ensure they can meet safety and operation duties. The bill requires FERC to hold a technical conference with States by October 1, 2027, on dam maintenance, risk-informed decision making, changing climate and hydrology, and high hazard dams. It also requires FERC to notify States when it issues findings that require repairs, when a licensee fails to make required repairs within five years, and when FERC starts noncompliance or revocation actions. If FERC revokes or accepts the surrender (or implied surrender) of a license, FERC must consult with the State and provide records about the dam, including inspection reports, repair estimates, maintenance history, age and hazard classification, recent condition assessments, hydrologic information used for flood estimates, and recent risk assessment results.

What it means for you#

  • If you operate or hold a FERC hydropower license, the bill would require that your dam meet FERC's dam safety standards and that you demonstrate ongoing ability to manage and maintain the project. New licenses must show compliance or include a plan to fix problems.
  • If you are a State official, FERC must be notified about certain safety findings, failures to fix required repairs after five years, and license revocation or surrender matters, and FERC must share detailed dam records when a license is revoked or surrendered.
  • If you live near a FERC-licensed dam, the bill aims to increase state awareness of safety findings and to ensure records and recent assessments are shared with the State if a license is revoked or surrendered.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on costs or appropriations is included in the bill text or provided metadata.

Proponents' View#

The bill’s text indicates its purpose is to improve dam and hydropower safety by tightening licensing conditions, requiring financial viability checks for license applicants, increasing FERC-State communications, and convening a technical conference on maintenance, risk-informed decision making, climate and hydrologic changes, and high hazard dams.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information on opposition or counterarguments is included in the bill text or provided metadata.