Yesterday, FERC voted unanimously to streamline its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review process for certain #WaterPower actions that have minimal or no environmental impact; NHA celebrates this as a step towards greater efficiency and regulatory certainty for the #hydropower industry.
In the first of two orders, FERC is proposing fast-track approval for certain hydropower license terminations or revocations that have little to no ground disturbing activities and minor/no alterations to reservoir conditions and downstream flows, allowing staff to handle these cases more quickly and focus on projects that require closer environmental review.
For domestic water power organizations, this means shorter timelines for routine actions, reduced compliance costs, and clearer pathways for maintaining and modernizing existing infrastructure, which will help strengthen reliability, investment confidence, and domestic energy security.
To learn more, read FERC's announcement here: https://bit.ly/4qGs4aV
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