# 119-hr-2160: Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity and River Restoration Act

119-hr-2160, Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity and River Restoration Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Smith, Adrian [R-NE-3] (R-NE); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-15).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2160
- As of: 2026-10-15
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-2160
- Congress: 119
- Title: Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity and River Restoration Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-03-14
- Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Adrian [R-NE-3] (R-NE)
- Cosponsors: 19
- Policy area: Taxation
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-10-15

## Summary

**Creates a new 30% tax credit to encourage upgrades and environmental improvements at existing hydroelectric dams.** It targets projects that boost clean power output, shore up dam safety, and restore river health while allowing flexible tax treatment for owners and partners. - Owners and operators of hydroelectric facilities can claim a credit equal to 30% of the basis of eligible "hydropower improvement property" placed in service. The credit covers seven project types, including fish passage, water quality work, sediment and habitat measures, safety upgrades, public access improvements, removal of obsolete river obstructions, and approved remote dams. - Projects must get written approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission or appropriate State or local officials before January 1, 2032. The credit applies to property placed in service after December 31, 2022. - The bill lets taxpayers elect payment or transfer of the credit under the Section 6417 rules, and adds conforming tax-code changes to create Section 48F and update cross references for energy property and interconnection assets.

## Cosponsors (19)

- Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15] (D-CA), 2026-10-13T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1] (D-WA), 2025-03-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1] (R-PA), 2025-03-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8] (D-WA), 2025-03-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tenney, Claudia [R-NY-24] (R-NY), 2025-03-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Goodlander, Maggie [D-NH-2] (D-NH), 2025-03-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17] (R-NY), 2025-03-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Miller, Carol D. [R-WV-1] (R-WV), 2025-03-27T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Langworthy, Nicholas A. [R-NY-23] (R-NY), 2025-04-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2] (R-KS), 2025-05-06T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Flood, Mike [R-NE-1] (R-NE), 2025-05-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Mann, Tracey [R-KS-1] (R-KS), 2025-05-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7] (D-VA), 2025-10-03T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Pappas, Chris [D-NH-1] (D-NH), 2025-10-31T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2] (R-NE), 2025-12-11T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Perez, Marie Gluesenkamp [D-WA-3] (D-WA), 2026-01-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Moore, Barry [R-AL-1] (R-AL), 2026-03-12T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Trahan, Lori [D-MA-3] (D-MA), 2026-04-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20] (D-NY), 2026-04-28T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Tax credit for hydropower upgrades: benefit, high. This bill would create a 30% tax credit for the cost of qualifying hydropower improvements placed in service after December 31, 2022. Qualifying work would include fish passage, better water quality, sediment and habitat work, dam‑safety upgrades, public access tied to a FERC license, removing obso…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act
- 119-hr-3514: Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025
- 119-hr-909: Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2025
- 119-hr-4382: America’s Olympic and Paralympic Games Commemorative Coins Act
- 119-hr-1422: Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025
- 119-hr-979: AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-2160 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2160)

## Related
- [119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1262)
- [119-hr-3514: Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3514)
- [119-hr-909: Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-909)
- [119-hr-4382: America’s Olympic and Paralympic Games Commemorative Coins Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-4382)
- [119-hr-1422: Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1422)
- [119-hr-979: AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-979)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2160 (as of 2026-10-15).