Over the past several months, Coalition members have worked to broaden the energy base in Washington State by promoting efficiency upgrades at existing dams, focusing on new renewable energy technologies, and opposing new dam construction where this would lead to marginal new energy at a high environmental cost. 

The City of Frostburg in northwestern Maryland, has obtained an exemption from license to develop hydropower at the city’s municipal raw water line, discharging water from the hydro plant to the raw water reservoir. The City can now start constructing the 75 kilowatt project.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee is holding a hearing on Thursday, March 31 to hear testimonies on two recent hydropower bills introduced by Senator Lisa Murkowski (D-Alaska).

FERC Chairman Jon Wellinghoff and Colorado Governor Bill Ritter signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to streamline the permitting process for small-scale hydropower projects that utilize existing dams or other infrastructures such as canals and conduits.

After hearing from stakeholders at a technical conference in December 2009, FERC will now offer web-based tools that would ease the licensing process for development of small hydropower in the United States.