Hydropower companies get more time to start building dams.

What it does

Hydropower companies can ask for 6 more years to start building. They get three chances to ask for 2 more years each. The bill also lets FERC bring back licenses that ended after December 31, 2023. This gives stalled projects a second chance.

Who it affects

Hydropower companies that hold licenses are affected. The public may benefit from cleaner energy and reliable power grids.

One thing to notice

Some projects could hold licenses for 14 or more years before building. The bill does not say what counts as good reason for more time.

From the analysis of the bill text, linked under Primary records below.

Where it stands

7 cosponsors: 6 Republicans, 1 Democrats.

• Mar 13, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in Senate”
• Mar 13, 2025 — Referred to Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources · Congress.gov: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources”
• Jul 29, 2025 — Reported out of committee · Congress.gov: “Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources discharged by Unanimous Consent”
• Jul 29, 2025 — Passed the Senate · Congress.gov: “Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S4797-4798; text: CR S4797-4798)”
• Apr 21, 2026 — Passed both chambers · Congress.gov: “On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 394 - 14…”
• Apr 21, 2026 — Floor vote scheduled · Congress.gov: “Mrs. Harshbarger moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill”
• Apr 30, 2026 — Sent to president · Congress.gov: “Presented to President”
• May 11, 2026 — Signed into law · Congress.gov: “Became Public Law No: 119-90”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

6 groups reported lobbying about this bill. They filed 10 reports from Dec 2025 to Jun 2026.

Those reports show $970,000 in lobbying spending. Each report lists about 13 bills. So that money was not all for this bill.

More groups named this bill than 82% of bills with any report.

Steve Daines, who sponsored the bill, received $900,144 from PACs for the 2026 election.

• Corporate Energy Buyers Association — $590,000 in 3 reports
• National Hydropower Association — $220,000 in 2 reports
• Old Harbor Native Corporation — $80,000 in 2 reports
• Northwest Public Power Association (nwppa) — $40,000 in 1 report
• Agilitas Energy Inc. — $20,000 in 1 report

Lobbying is legal. These reports show who lobbied about this bill, not what changed.

Words to know

• FERC — The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the agency that approves hydropower projects.
• licensees — Companies that have permission from FERC to build hydropower projects.
• hydropower — Energy made from flowing water that turns turbines to make electricity.
• lobbying — Trying to influence lawmakers about a bill. Companies and groups pay people to do this.
• PACs — Groups that collect money and give it to candidates for office.
• sponsored — To sponsor a bill is to introduce it in Congress and put your name on it.