HR-678 : Became Public Law

Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act - Amends the Reclamation Project Act of 1939 to authorize the Secretary of the Interior (acting through the Bureau of Reclamation) to contract for the development of small conduit hydropower at Bureau facilities.

Defines: (1) "small conduit hydropower" as five megawatts or less; and (2) "conduit" as a tunnel, canal, pipeline, aqueduct, flume, ditch, or similar manmade water conveyance.

Requires that power privilege leases be offered first to an irrigation district or water users association operating or receiving water from the applicable transferred or reserved work.

Defines: (1) "reserved work" as any conduit included in project works whose care, operation, and maintenance have been reserved by the Secretary (through the Bureau); and (2) "transferred work" as any conduit included in project works whose care, operation, and maintenance have been transferred to a legally organized water users association or irrigation district.

Exempts the small conduit hydropower development authorized by this Act from the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), except with respect to siting of associated transmission on federal lands.

Makes the Bureau's Power Resources Office the lead office for such small conduit hydropower policy and procedure-setting activities (thus excludes such activities from the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [FERC]).

Declares that nothing in this Act shall: (1) obligate specified power administrations to purchase or market the power produced by such facilities, (2) alter or impede the delivery and management of water for original project purposes, or (3) alter or affect any existing agreements for conduit hydropower development projects or disposition of revenues. Deems water used for conduit hydropower generation to be incidental to use of water for the original project purposes.

Action Timeline

Action DateTypeTextSource
2013-08-09PresidentBecame Public Law No: 113-24.House floor actions
2013-08-09PresidentSigned by President.House floor actions
2013-08-06FloorPresented to President.House floor actions
2013-08-02FloorMessage on Senate action sent to the House.Senate
2013-08-01FloorPassed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S6257)Senate
2013-06-03FloorBy Senator Wyden from Committee on Energy and Natural Resources filed written report. Report No. 113-39.Senate
2013-05-13CalendarsPlaced on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 72.Senate
2013-05-13CommitteeCommittee on Energy and Natural Resources. Reported by Senator Wyden without amendment. Without written report.Senate
2013-05-08CommitteeCommittee on Energy and Natural Resources. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.Senate
2013-04-23CommitteeCommittee on Energy and Natural Resources. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 113-24.Senate
2013-04-15IntroReferralReceived in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.Senate
2013-04-10FloorMotion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.House floor actions
2013-04-10VoteOn passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 416 - 7 (Roll no. 96).House floor actions
2013-04-10VoteOn motion to recommit with instructions Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 194 - 226 (Roll no. 95).House floor actions
2013-04-10FloorThe previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection. (consideration: CR H1889)House floor actions
2013-04-10FloorDEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Garamendi motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment to add a section to the bill relating to Buy America provisions. The new section would require that, when practicable, all materials used for conduit hydropower generation be manufactured in the United States.House floor actions
2013-04-10FloorMr. Garamendi moved to recommit with instructions to Natural Resources. (consideration: CR H1888; text: CR H1888)House floor actions
2013-04-10FloorThe House adopted the amendment as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.House floor actions
2013-04-10FloorThe previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. (consideration: CR H1888)House floor actions
2013-04-10FloorThe House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 678.House floor actions
2013-04-10FloorThe Chair announced that proceedings would now resume on amendments which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.House floor actions
2013-04-10FloorDEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 140, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Tipton No. 2 amendment under the five-minute rule.House floor actions
2013-04-10FloorPOSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Napolitano No. 1 amendment, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote announced the noes had prevailed. Mrs. Napolitano demanded a recorded vote and the Chair postponed further proceedings on the question of adoption of the amendment until later in the legislative day.House floor actions
2013-04-10FloorDEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 140, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Napolitano No. 1 amendment under the five-minute rule.House floor actions
2013-04-10FloorDEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 140, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with debate on the Tipton No. 3 amendment under the five-minute rule.House floor actions
2013-04-10FloorGENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 678.House floor actions
2013-04-10FloorThe Speaker designated the Honorable Ted Poe to act as Chairman of the Committee.House floor actions
2013-04-10FloorHouse resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 140 and Rule XVIII.House floor actions
2013-04-10FloorRule provides for consideration of H.R. 678 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Measure will be considered read. Bill is open to amendments.House floor actions
2013-04-10FloorConsidered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 140. (consideration: CR H1878-1890; text of measure as reported in House: CR H1884)House floor actions
2013-04-10FloorRule H. Res. 140 passed House.House floor actions
2013-04-09FloorRules Committee Resolution H. Res. 140 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 678 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. Measure will be considered read. Bill is open to amendments.House floor actions
2013-03-25CalendarsPlaced on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 12.House floor actions
2013-03-25CommitteeReported by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 113-24.House floor actions
2013-03-20CommitteeOrdered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 17 - 12.House committee actions
2013-03-20CommitteeCommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.House committee actions
2013-03-20CommitteeSubcommittee on Water and Power Discharged.House committee actions
2013-03-05CommitteeSubcommittee Hearings Held.House committee actions
2013-02-22CommitteeReferred to the Subcommittee on Water and Power.House committee actions
2013-02-13IntroReferralReferred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.House floor actions
2013-02-13IntroReferralIntroduced in HouseLibrary of Congress

Policy Area :

Energy
See Subjects
  • Alternative and renewable resources
  • Dams and canals
  • Electric power generation and transmission
  • Environmental assessment, monitoring, research
  • Water use and supply

Related Bills

See Related Bills