Congress·In Committee·S. 3500
Hydropower Licensing Transparency Act
Hydropower Licensing: Annual Status Reports to Congress
Legislative Progress
Senate
Key Points
- This bill requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to give Congress a yearly report on the progress of hydropower dam licenses. It focuses on projects that have been waiting for approval for at least three years.
- The report must include specific details for each dam, such as when the application started, when the government expects to finish the review, and a list of any upcoming meetings or hearings.
- It aims to make the licensing process more transparent by showing exactly what steps are left for the dam owners, state governments, Indian Tribes, and wildlife agencies to complete.
- Hydropower provides a large portion of the country's carbon-free electricity, but getting a license to keep a dam running can often take a decade or longer. This bill helps lawmakers see where the delays are happening.
Impact Analysis
Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.
Milestones
3 milestones3 actions
Mar 17, 2026
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power. Hearings held.
Dec 16, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Dec 16, 2025
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
News
No related news coverage found for this legislation yet.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Hydropower Licensing Transparency Act
Bill NumberS 3500
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionCommittee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power. Hearings held.
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(1)R: 1
Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.