The US Bureau of Reclamation has added two new categorical exclusions (CEs) for hydropower-related activities under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), in a move the agency says will speed up environmental reviews for selected projects and maintenance work across its hydropower portfolio.
The changes were announced on 29 May as part of Reclamation’s ongoing Hydropower Action Plan, which the agency says is intended to support capital investment, regulatory efficiency and technological innovation in the US hydropower sector.
The two new exclusions apply to:
- the issuance of leases of power privilege or similar authorisations for non-federal hydropower development that supplements existing Reclamation project facilities; and
- maintenance, rehabilitation and replacement activities at existing hydropower facilities and equipment.
According to Reclamation, the maintenance-related exclusion covers activities involving turbines, generators, transformers, gates, pumps, cranes, control and communication systems, and instrumentation upgrades, including projects involving minor changes in size, location or operation.
The agency said the exclusions were developed after identifying categories of hydropower activity that have “consistently demonstrated no significant environmental impacts.” To support the change, Reclamation reviewed 10 environmental assessments and associated findings of no significant impact (FONSIs), along with post-implementation data from previously authorised projects.
“Under the Trump-Vance Administration, Reclamation is cutting outdated red tape to streamline reviews for hydropower maintenance and leasing,” said Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Andrea Travnicek. “This is a step in the right direction and just one of the ways we’re working to increase the affordability of water and power.”
Acting Commissioner Scott Cameron said the measures would allow the agency to focus resources on priority areas while supporting energy production.
“Hydropower plays a vital role in delivering reliable and affordable energy to communities across the West,” Cameron said. “The new streamlined reviews allow the Interior Department to focus our resources where they matter most – supporting innovation, improving efficiency and helping power the nation.”
Under NEPA, categorical exclusions allow federal agencies to expedite review processes for categories of activities that normally do not have significant environmental impacts. However, Reclamation stated that projects proposed under the new exclusions will still undergo case-by-case screening for “extraordinary circumstances” that could trigger the need for additional environmental review through an environmental assessment or environmental impact statement.
The notice, published in the Federal Register on 29 May, states that the exclusions are effective immediately.
Reclamation, established in 1902, is the second-largest producer of hydroelectric power in the US. The agency owns 77 hydropower facilities and directly operates 53 of them, representing more than 14,750MW of installed capacity. According to the agency, the facilities generate an average of 37 million MWh annually, supplying electricity equivalent to the demand of more than 3.5 million US homes.
The hydropower measures align with Executive Order 14154 and Interior Department Secretary’s Orders 3418 and 3446, which focus on expanding domestic energy production, reducing permitting delays and lowering costs associated with infrastructure development and operation.
