FERC must now publish why your hydropower license is stuck
S. 3500 — Hydropower Licensing Transparency Act · Filed by Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) · 1 cosponsor · Introduced Dec 16, 2025 · Reported out
Your members of Congress
Enter a ZIP to see where your representative and both senators stood on this bill.
Looked up on this device — your ZIP is never stored on our servers.
What it does
This bill requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to publish an annual public report on the status of all pending hydropower license applications—including new licenses, license renewals, and original licenses—that have been in the queue for at least 3 years. The report must include application dates, docket numbers, filing status, anticipated issuance dates, upcoming meetings, and actions required by all parties. Citizens, states, tribes, and companies seeking hydropower licenses will gain visibility into why their applications are delayed and where they stand in the process.
Why we flagged it
The bill's sole operative mechanism is a mandatory annual reporting requirement on hydropower licensing status. It does not change licensing standards, timelines, or approval criteria—only mandates public disclosure of existing process data.
What the text implies
- Transparency may accelerate licensing by exposing bottlenecks and creating political pressure on FERC to resolve stalled applications, potentially benefiting hydropower developers seeking faster approvals.
- States and tribes gain a public record of licensing delays, which could strengthen their negotiating position in relicensing disputes or environmental reviews.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
hydropower developers and utilities with pending license applications; renewable energy companies seeking faster licensing pathways