1. Mid-West Electric Consumers Associations 2017
Kiel Weaver
Republican Staff Director
House Water, Power and Oceans Subcommittee

2. Subcommittee Jurisdiction
Bureau of Reclamation
Four Power Marketing Administrations
WAPA, BPA, SWPA and SEPA
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
NOAA Fisheries
U.S. Geological Survey

3. Water, Power and Oceans Subcommittee
Membership:
Doug Lamborn (R-CO) -- Chairman
Daniel Webster (R-FL) – Vice-Chairman
Jared Huffman (D-CA) – Ranking Democrat
11 Republicans, 8 Democrats

4. Making Water and Power Infrastructure Great Again
March 1 Subc Hearing on “Modernizing Western Water and Power Infrastructure in the 21st Century”
Witnesses:
Andy Colisimo, Colorado Springs Utilities
Andy Fecko, Placer County Water Agency
Bob Lynch, Attorney, Phoenix, Arizona
New legislation on:
One Stop Shop Permitting
Hydropower at BOR Facilities
BOR, WAPA Transparency

5. Federal Hydropower
Federal hydropower usually a source of revenue for other things.
“Beneficiary Pays” rule should apply
Capacity has been lost due to various federal laws and regulations

7. Non-federal Hydropower
Subject to Federal Power Act (licensing and relicensing)
Allows Federal Natural Resources Agencies to impose “Mandatory Conditions”
12,600 additional MW at existing non- powered dams
Non-federal hydropower (conduits, hydropower) can be built at federal projects.
But barriers and outdated regulatory regimes remain.

8. Electricity Rights of Way on Federal Lands
Almost 90,000 linear miles of electricity rights of way on Forest Service and BLM lands.
Issue is inconsistent federal management of rights-of-way.
Liability also an issue
Bipartisan bill passed the House last year; Senate interest.

9. Debate Topics on Infrastructure
What is the Federal nexus?
If there is a federal cost, how is it paid for?
Does it apply to the “beneficiaries pay” rule?
How do we incentivize non-federal parties on infrastructure?
What is the Future of the BOR and the PMAs?

10. The PMAs
PMAs provide wholesale “at-cost” power to 1,200 public power entities in 33 states.
Successive Administrations have proposed elimination/reforms for PMAs.
The “Chu Memo” in the last Administration was the latest effort

11. Turnover on Capitol Hill
42% of House Members are new since the election
36% of Senators are new since the election
High staff turnover in personal offices and committees