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H.R. 2842: Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act of 2012

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H.R. 2842: Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act of 2012

112th Congress · introduced 2011-09-06 · Energy · Latest: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 112-624.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2011-09-06 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Tipton, Scott R. [R-CO-3] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: 3 recorded votes in our records. Latest: House roll call 98 (2012): On Agreeing to the Amendment, HR2842 (2012-03-07), Failed. See all
  4. Where it stands now: Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water and Power. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 112-624. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act of 2012

Plain summary

Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act of 2012 - Amends the Reclamation Project Act of 1939 to authorize the Secretary of the Interior (acting through the Bureau of Reclamation) to contract for the development of small conduit hydropower at Bureau facilities. Defines: (1) "small" as 1.5 megawatts or less; and (2) "conduit" as a tunnel, canal, pipeline, aqueduct, flume, ditch, or similar manmade water conveyance. Requires that power privilege leases be offered first to an irrigation district or water users association operating or receiving water from the applicable transferred or reserved work. Defines: (1) reserved work as any conduit included in project works whose care, operation, and maintenance has been reserved by the Secretary (through the Bureau); and (2) transferred work as any conduit included in project works whose care, operation, and maintenance has been transferred to a legally organized water users association or irrigation district. Exempts the small conduit hydropower development authorized by this Act from the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), except with respect to siting of associated transmission on federal lands. Makes the Bureau's Power Resources Office the lead office for such small conduit hydropower policy and procedure-setting activities. (Thus excludes such activities from the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [FERC].) Declares that nothing in this Act shall: (1) obligate specified power administrations to purchase or market the power produced by such facilities, (2) alter or impede the delivery and management of water for original project purposes, or (3) alter or affect any existing agreements for conduit hydropower development projects or disposition of revenues. Deems water used for conduit hydropower generation to be incidental to use of water for the original project purposes. Allows the lease of power privilege only when the exercise of the lease will not be incompatible with, or create unmitigated financial or physical impacts to, the applicable project or division. Directs the Secretary to: (1) notify and consult with the appropriate irrigation district or water users association operating a transferred conduit before offering such a lease; and (2) prescribe terms and conditions to protect the planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and other interests of the United States and the project or division involved.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act of 2012

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Tipton, Scott R. [R-CO-3] · 5 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Paul A. Gosar (R-AZ), Adrian Smith (R-NE), Tom McClintock (R-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA)

Recorded votes

Words on this page, explained (3)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization
A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Jurisdiction
The area or the matters a government or court has authority over.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong112-hr2842 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112