Hydropower Licensing Transparency Act

This bill requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to send Congress a yearly report on the status of hydropower dam licenses. The first report is due within 180 days after the law takes effect, then every year after. It must cover projects where someone told FERC at least three years earlier that they planned to apply for a license, but the license has not yet been issued. For each project, the report must list the notice date, any docket number, whether an application was filed, the current status and expected decision date, dates of upcoming meetings, and any actions required of the applicant, FERC, fish and wildlife agencies, and other agencies. The information must be grouped by license type (renewals and certain new/original licenses).

• Who is affected: Hydropower dam operators and applicants (citizens, companies, States, Indian Tribes, and municipalities), FERC, fish and wildlife agencies, and communities following these projects.
• What changes: FERC must submit an annual status report to Congress with clear details on where each qualifying project stands and what actions are pending.
• When: The first report is due within 180 days after the law begins, then annually.