H.R. 2880: Promoting Closed-Loop Pumped Storage Hydropower Act

115th Congress · introduced 2017-06-12 · Energy · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-06-12 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Griffith, H. Morgan [R-VA-9] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
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

Promoting Closed-Loop Pumped Storage Hydropower Act

Plain summary

Promoting Closed-Loop Pumped Storage Hydropower Act (Sec.2)This bill amends the Federal Power Act to authorize the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to establish an expedited licensing process for issuing and amending licenses and preliminary permits for closed-loop pumped storage projects (in which the upper and lower reservoirs do not impound or directly withdraw water from navigable waters, or that are not continuously connected to a naturally flowing water feature). In establishing the expedited process, FERC shall convene an interagency task force with appropriate federal and state agencies and Indian tribes to coordinate the regulatory process associated with the authorizations required to construct and operate closed-loop pumped storage projects. FERC must assess the safety of existing dams and other structures related to the project before issuing any license for a closed-loop storage project. FERC must hold a workshop to explore potential opportunities for development of storage projects at abandoned mine sites. FERC must also establish criteria that a project shall meet to qualify as a closed-loop pumped storage under this bill, including requiring that the project cause little to no change to existing surface and groundwater flows and uses and that the project is unlikely to adversely affect species listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. (Sec.3)Licensees are not required to pay an annual charge for administrative expenses until construction commences.

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

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Promoting Closed-Loop Pumped Storage Hydropower Act

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. Griffith, H. Morgan [R-VA-9] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 2880, Promoting Closed-Loop Pumped Storage Hydropower Act (2017-12-12)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Griffith, H. Morgan [R-VA-9] reported raising $2.2 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

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.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House amended)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115hr2880.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/hr>

Record fed-us-cong115-hr2880 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115