Steve Daines
118:53 - 119:37
"right now resource agencies can put mandatory conditions in hydropower licenses. While FERC is the agency that grants the permits for non-federal hydropower projects, resource agencies like the Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife Service can set mandatory conditions on a license that FERC, you all, issue. This can also happen during a relicensing of an existing project. Unfortunately, this process can be abused. Resource agencies can end up on a wish list of projects that have no direct connection to a hydropower dam."
“right now resource agencies can put mandatory conditions in hydropower licenses. While FERC is the agency that grants the permits for non-federal hydropower projects, resource agencies like the Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife Service can set mandatory conditions on a license that FERC, you all, issue. This can also happen during a relicensing of an existing project. Unfortunately, this process can be abused. Resource agencies can end up on a wish list of projects that have no direct connection to a hydropower dam.”
- Speaker
- Steve Daines
- Timestamp
- 118:53 – 119:37
- Community
- Alaska News
- Captured at
- July 22, 2026
From the transcript
This bill makes a small but very important change to the Federal Power Act because right now resource agencies can put mandatory conditions in hydropower licenses. While FERC is the agency that grants the permits for non-federal hydropower projects, resource agencies like the Forest Service and Fish and Wildlife Service can set mandatory conditions on a license that FERC, you all, issue. This can also happen during a relicensing of an existing project. Unfortunately, this process can be abused. Resource agencies can end up on a wish list of projects that have no direct connection to a hydropower dam.
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