The hydropower industry wants to go back to their good old days, where they could dam a river, take out all of the water and not give a second thought to the impact it might have on fish, wildlife or people. They're serious in their mission, and have released a draft bill in Congress that would gut environmental and public interest protections in the Federal Power Act. These are the very tools that American Whitewater and our partners have used to put water back in rivers that were once completely devastated by the impacts of hydropower, like the Cheoah (NC), Tallulah (GA), Deerfield (MA), Yuba/Bear (CA), Chelan (WA), Bear River (ID), and so many more.

The draft bill relating to "Hydropower Regulatory Modernization" is, by far, the most dangerous piece of hydropower legislation we've seen in over a decade. On Wednesday, May 13th, the House Energy & Commerce Committee will hold a hearing about the draft bill, and we encourage everyone to contact their Representatives and make your voices heard, both before and after the hearing. It's especially important if you live in a state where your Representative is on the House Energy & Commerce Committee. Additionally, Senator Murkowski introduced a similar bill in the Senate ("Hydropower Improvement Act," S. 1236). It's helpful to reach out to your Senators as well. 

Share your personal experience enjoying rivers where hydropower projects provide recreational flows. Ask that they oppose any bill that would undermine the public's ability to balance hydropower interests with non-power values like recreation, fish and wildlife. 

If the proposed hydropower industry bill passes, it would mean a lot more new dams and a lot less water in rivers that currently have hydropower. Chances are high that it could mean no more whitewater. No more river access. No more fish passage. No more dam removal at deadbeat private dams. 

The proposed bill would make the conservation and recreation gains that we've achieved a thing of the past by:

- Stripping federal and state agencies of their ability to protect clean water and public lands, and provide fish passage, and instead placing it in the hands of an unaccountable, unelected authority in Washington D.C. American Whitewater and our partners rely on state and federal agencies with water quality and fish and wildlife and land management expertise to protect the public interest in hydropower relicensing. 

- Reducing local and regional control over resource protections and priorities.

- Severely restricting data collection and the use of updated sound science in the decision making process. 

- Minimizing or eliminating hydropower developers' responsibility to comply with state and federal resource protection laws like the Endangered Species Act and Clean Water Act. We do not believe that hydropower developers should receive special treatment. 

The hydropower industry claims that the bill will help to enhance environmental conditions and recreation. We know though that it is impossible to recreate on a river that either has no water in it or is buried under a reservoir, and the best way to "enhance" a river is to leave it freely flowing. Click here for more information on the ways that dams impact rivers.

They also claim that state and federal agencies have made the licensing process inefficient and expensive. In our 25+ years of experience in this arena, it's the hydropower companies that have made the process cumbersome.  

Take action!

Contact your Senators and Representatives to stop this bill, both before and after the hearing. Share your personal experience enjoying rivers where hydropower projects provide recreational flows. Ask that they oppose any bill that would undermine the public's ability to balance hydropower interests with non-power values like recreation, fish and wildlife. You can also help spread the word on social media with #NoNewDams and #hydropower, or by writing a letter to the editor. 

Thanks for taking action! Stay tuned for more updates. 

**photo info** Bear Creek Falls on the Cheoah River (NC) represents one of American Whitewater's major flow restoration successes. Stories like this one would never have happened without the tools of the Federal Power Act…the very ones that the hydropower industry wants to take away through this proposed legislation.