PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

The Secretary of the Army must study the best ways to use hydroelectric power at Army-run water projects and write a plan based on the study. The study must look at things like how much hydro power is physically possible (and the economic, social, environmental, and institutional issues), regional needs for power, how hydro fits with other power sources, steps to make hydro help meet national demand, the timing of development, different types of hydro potential (high and low head, run-of-river, pumped storage), whether changing storage or operations could increase power at existing Corps projects, and any other relevant factors. Within three years after the first money is provided for the work, the Secretary must send the plan, supporting studies, and recommendations to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works and the House Committee on Public Works and Transportation. Up to $7,000,000 may be appropriated for the study and report. The Secretary may also do feasibility studies of specific Corps projects that the study finds to have high power potential, and up to $5,000,000 per fiscal year is authorized for each of fiscal years 1978 and 1979 for those studies.

Title 42, §1962d–5g

The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, is authorized and directed to conduct a study of the most efficient methods of utilizing the hydroelectric power resources at water resource development projects under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Army and to prepare a plan based upon the findings of such study. Such study shall include, but not be limited to, an analysis of—

(1)the physical potential for hydroelectric development, giving consideration to the economic, social, environmental and institutional factors which will affect the realization of physical potential;

(2)the magnitude and regional distribution of needs for hydroelectric power;

(3)the integration of hydroelectric power generation with generation from other types of generating facilities;

(4)measures necessary to assure that generation from hydroelectric projects will efficiently contribute to meeting the national electric energy demands;

(5)the timing of hydroelectric development to properly coincide with changes in the demand for electric energy;

(6)conventional hydroelectric potential, both high head and low head projects utilizing run-of-rivers and possible advances in mechanical technology, and pumped storage hydroelectric potential at sites which evidence such potential;

(7)the feasibility of adding or reallocating storage and modifying operation rules to increase power production at corps projects with existing hydroelectric installations;

(8)measures deemed necessary or desirable to insure that the potential contribution of hydroelectric resources to the overall electric energy supply are realized to the maximum extent possible; and

(9)any other pertinent factors necessary to evaluate the development and operation of hydroelectric projects of the Corps of Engineers.

(b)Within three years after the date of the first appropriation of funds for the purpose of carrying out this section, the Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, shall transmit the plan prepared pursuant to subsection (a) with supporting studies and documentation, together with the recommendations of the Secretary and the Chief of Engineers on such plan, to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the House of Representatives.

(c)There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out subsections (a) and (b) of this section not to exceed $7,000,000.

(d)The Secretary of the Army, acting through the Chief of Engineers, is authorized with respect to previously authorized projects to undertake feasibility studies of specific hydroelectric power installations that are identified in the course of the study authorized by this section, as having high potential for contribution toward meeting regional power needs. There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection not to exceed $5,000,000 per fiscal year for each of the fiscal years 1978 and 1979.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was enacted as part of the Water Resources Development Act of 1976, and not as part of the Water Resources Planning Act which comprises this chapter.

Amendments

1994—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 103–437 substituted “Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate” for “Committee on Public Works of the Senate”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Committee on Public Works and Transportation of House of Representatives treated as referring to Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of House of Representatives by section 1(a) of Pub. L. 104–14, set out as a note preceding section 21 of Title 2, The Congress. Federal Hydroelectric Power Modernization Study Pub. L. 100–676, § 42, Nov. 17, 1988, 102 Stat. 4040, directed Secretary to conduct a study of need to modernize and upgrade federally owned and operated hydroelectric power system, and to submit a report, along with recommendations, to Congress not later than 2 years after Nov. 17, 1988. Water Quality Effects of Hydroelectric Facilities Pub. L. 100–676, § 43, Nov. 17, 1988, 102 Stat. 4040, directed Secretary, in cooperation with Administrator of Environmental Protection Agency, to undertake a study of water quality effects of hydroelectric facilities owned and operated by Corps of Engineers, which was to be transmitted to Congress within 2 years of Nov. 17, 1988, and was to consider and include information for each such Corps of Engineers hydroelectric facility pertaining to: relevant water quality standards including dissolved oxygen; water quality monitoring data; possible options and projected costs of measures required to improve the quality of water released from each such facility where justified; and recommendations with respect to such study results.

§1962d–5g Hydroelectric Power Resources