St. Lawrence Hydroelectric project located on the Merrimack River in Lawrence, MA will now receive tax credits for electricity generation because of its recent efficiency upgrades.

Pacific Gas & Electric Company's Pit 3, 4 and 5 hydroelectric project has been certified to receive production tax credits as a renewable energy source.

The June/July 2007 edition of The Advocate, the official publication of the Idaho State Bar, features an article on the hydropower provisions of the Energy Policy Act (EPAct). The point: "the EPAct... makes the [licensing] process more complex, litigious, and expensive."

On August 29, 2006, a federal court heard arguments over whether the Departments of Interior, Commerce, and Agriculture followed the law when they published the implementing rules for the hydropower provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2006.

On Monday, May 8th, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee held a hearing to discuss the hydroelectric provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

FERC's deadline for all interested parties in the Hells Canyon dams to file their recommendations for terms and conditions in the new license was January 26, 2006. The federal National Marine Fisheries Service - the agency charged with protecting migrating endangered salmon and steelhead - submitted a simple reservation of authority. In other words, the agency did nothing and failed in its responsibility to protect these endangered species.

Coalition leaders American Rivers, American Whitewater, Friends of the River (California), Idaho Rivers United, Trout Unlimited, and Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper filed a complaint in federal court on December 16th challenging new federal regulations for hydropower.

The House Resources Committee will consider the Domestic Energy Security Act (current energy bill) on Wednesday, April 13. This bill includes a provision that establishes a loophole under which agencies would be precluded from considering a range of environmental action alternatives under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for so-called " renewable energy sources," including hydropower dams. This provision has been approved by the House before, but was not passed by the Senate. If your Representative serves on this committee, he or she needs to hear from you on Wednesday in strong opposition to this provision of the bill.

Learn more about the Coalition's work on the Energy Policy Act rulemaking.

Contact: John Seebach, HRC Coordinator 202-243-7055

On Thursday, November 17th, the Departments of Interior, Commerce, and Agriculture unveiled new rules for hydropower dam licensing, as directed by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Although the public may comment on the new rules within the next sixty days, they take effect immediately, squandering the ability for the public to have an impact on something that directly affects a public resource - rivers.