FERC Must Report on Hydropower Licenses Stuck in Bureaucracy for 3+ Years

The aptly named Hydropower Licensing Transparency Act is straightforward: it mandates that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) must start telling Congress exactly which hydropower license applications are stuck in administrative limbo—and why. This isn't about changing the rules for building dams or power plants; it’s about shining a bright light on the pace of the federal permitting process for energy projects.

The Three-Year Rule: Tracking Bureaucratic Bottlenecks

Under this Act, FERC is required to submit an annual report to Congress detailing the status of any hydropower license application—whether it’s for a brand new project, a renewal of an existing one (a subsequent license), or an original license—that has been pending for three years or more. The clock starts ticking from the moment the applicant first tells FERC they intend to file. If a company signaled its intent to build or renew a project in 2021, and the license still hasn't been issued by 2024, that project lands on the report.

This is essential information for anyone who cares about energy infrastructure. When a license for a power plant renewal is delayed for years, it creates uncertainty for utility companies and can tie up millions in capital, which eventually affects the cost and reliability of power delivered to homes and businesses. This provision, found in Section 2, requires FERC to deliver the first report within 180 days of the Act becoming law.

What’s in the Report Card?

This isn't just a list of delayed projects. The report requires granular detail for every long-pending application. FERC must include the original notice date, the official case number, and whether the actual application has even been filed yet. Crucially, the report must state the expected date the Commission plans to finally issue the license.

But here’s the most important part for accountability: the report must describe all actions taken by everyone involved. That means the applicant (the power company), FERC itself, the fish and wildlife agencies required to review the project under section 15(b), and any other relevant agencies. By separating the data by license type—new/subsequent versus original licenses—Congress gets a clear picture of which specific processes are causing the most friction.

Impact: More Paperwork, More Accountability

For the average person, this bill doesn't directly change your power bill or the environment. Its impact is purely administrative, but that can have real-world consequences. By forcing FERC to compile and report this data, the Act creates pressure on the agency to speed up its review process. Think of it as a public shaming mechanism for bureaucratic delays. If a license is delayed because a specific agency (like Fish and Wildlife) hasn't completed its required review for years, that agency's inaction will now be explicitly documented for Congress.

While this increases the administrative burden on FERC—they now have to track and report on these long-term cases annually—it provides Congress and the public with the tools to identify exactly where the bottlenecks are in our clean energy permitting system. For the energy industry, this transparency is a win, as it might lead to faster decisions and less uncertainty for major infrastructure investments.