Summary

Allows the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), at the request of a licensee, to grant additional time to start construction on hydropower projects that received licenses before March 13, 2020. The bill permits FERC to extend beyond the 8-year extension currently allowed by law by up to an additional 6 years, provided as up to three consecutive 2-year periods, with requirements for reasonable notice and a showing of good cause. If a project's construction-start deadline under current law already expired after December 31, 2023 but before this law takes effect, FERC may reinstate that license effective as of the expiration date and apply the new extension authority from that date.

• Extends FERC authority to grant extra construction-start time for hydropower licenses issued before March 13, 2020.
• Adds up to 6 additional years beyond the existing 8-year extension, provided as up to three consecutive 2-year periods.
• Extensions are granted only at a licensee's request and require reasonable notice and demonstration of good cause.
• Applies retroactively for licenses whose start-deadlines expired after Dec 31, 2023 and before enactment by allowing reinstatement effective as of the expiration date.
• Does not authorize new spending or change tax rules; it adjusts regulatory timelines.
• Limits the extended authority to the period that begins when prior extensions expire and cannot extend beyond the statutory cap described.
• Primarily affects hydropower developers, FERC administration, and communities near project sites by preserving the ability to pursue authorized projects.