Utilities

Support for grant funding for utilities expansion

Support for water and sewer infrastructure funding.

Issues related to utility infrastructure. Issues related to clean water and drinking water infrastructure.

None.

Issues related to power generation, coal mining, and energy production

Community Project funding to include a Water Redundancy project, Water Quality Improvement for Lull water Lake, and a Storm water Outfall Project. Other areas include Law Enforcement needs due to large events/holidays, transportation project support for U.S. Highway 98 widening.

Discussed support for H.R. 7266, the Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act (all provisions) to reauthorize the Rural and Municipal Utility Grant and Technical Assistance (RMUC) Program as authorized in section 40124 of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021. Discussed general APPA support for hydropower licensing and relicensing reform, including amending section 4(e) of the Federal Power Act (16 USC ch. 12) to limit mandatory conditions and fishway prescriptions and section 241 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-58) to extend trial-type hearing rights to alternative conditions under section 33 of the Federal Power Act (no legislation). Discussed the need to amend sections 4(e) and 18 of the Federal Power Act so that mandatory conditions and fishway prescriptions address only direct project effects, like those from the construction, operation, or maintenance of the licensed project (no legislation). Discussed support for S. 3518, the Fair Licensing for Operations of Water Structures (FLOWS) Act of 2025, to amend the Federal Power Act to address certain alterations in, and the maintenance and repair of, project works, to provide for the licensing of micro hydrokinetic energy projects (all provisions). Discussed support for H.R. 9337, the Hydropower Licensing Affordability Act, to amend the Federal Power Act to modernize the hydropower licensing process (all provisions). Discussed the need for permitting reform, including changes to the National Environmental Policy Act and other environmental statutes, to help expedite the siting and permitting of energy projects to meet rising electricity demand (no legislation). Discussed concerns with sections 401 and 402 in S. 4753, the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024, which would expand the Federal Energy Regulatory Commissions jurisdiction over non-jurisdictional entities under section 201(f) of the Federal Power Act. Discussed how interregional transmission planning should be left to each region of the country rather than imposing a one-size-fits-all federal mandate for each region to maintain a minimum level of transfer capability with its neighbors (no legislation). Discussed maintaining the existing beneficiary-pays cost allocation principle for transmission under the Federal Power Act to require the costs of a transmission project to be allocated to beneficiaries in a way that is roughly commensurate with the estimated benefits (no legislation). Discussed general support for legislation that would remove duplicative National Environmental Policy Act requirements for the National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor designation and siting processes (no legislation). Discussed H.R. 7786, the SPEED & Reliability Act (all provisions), from the 118th Congress, to remove duplicative National Environmental Policy Act requirements for the National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor designation and siting processes. Discussed H.R. 6633, the High-Capacity Grid Act (all provisions), to establish a best-available transmission conductor standard for certain transmission projects under the Federal Power Act and to provide for presumptions regarding cost recovery for such conductors. Discussed support for H.R. 3616/S. 3034, the Reliable Power Act, to give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission the authority to determine and mitigate the significant reliability impacts of major federal regulations (all provisions). Discussed H.R. 9332, the Load Forecasting Enhancement Act, to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to establish regional joint boards to study electric load forecasting. Discussed technical assistance for public power utilities for load forecasting. Discussed H.R. 9340, the Ratepayer Protection Act, to amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to establish a federal standard relating to the recovery of the full, incremental costs of upgrades that serve large-load customers (all provisions). Discussed Winter Storm Fern and the use of section 202(c) orders by the Department of Energy to ensure grid reliability. Discussed grid enhancing technologies and their potential ability to improve grid reliability but should only be deployed where there are clear reliability and consumer benefits (no legislation). Discussed support for joint ownership of transmission facilities to help facilitate transmission development while keeping costs affordable for electricity customers (no legislation). Provided feedback on draft transmission legislation to make changes to the Federal Power Act that would, among other things, expand the Federal Energy Regulatory Commissions authority over public power utilities and increase costs for their customers. Provided feedback on draft legislation, the State Energy Oversight Act, on performance-based ratemaking. Discussed the need for permitting reform efforts to be technology neutral (no bill). Discussed support for H.R. 8308, the Create Expedited Reviews to Transform American Infrastructure Now (CERTAIN) Act, to reduce permitting delays and create a more predictable environment for infrastructure development (all provisions). Discussed the importance of coordination between the military and public power utilities that serve them (no legislation). Discussed issues related to defense critical electric infrastructure, including the importance of coordination between the military and Department of Energy (no legislation). Discussed existing cooperative agreements with the Department of Energy (DE-CR0000007, DE-CR0000015, and DE-CR0000026. Discussed the Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence. Discussion of distribution transformer supply chain challenges (no legislation). Discussed the impact of federal trade policies on supply chains for public power utilities (no legislation). Discussed supply chain issues facing public power utilities and the significant cost increases they are seeing for key electrical equipment that can only be acquired abroad (no legislation). Discussed the importance of the Tennessee Valley Authority to public power utilities served by it. Discussed the public power business model (no legislation). Discussed energy affordability and all the actions public power utilities take to keep electricity affordable for their customers and to assist those in need (no legislation). Discussed how public power utilities are working to ensure their customers do not bear the costs of serving large computational loads (no legislation). Discussed issues related to data center affordability and support for efforts to protect affordability and reliability, as well as ensuring a voice for public power in evaluating governance issues (FERC Docket RM26-4 and AD26-7). Discussed strategies to address the growing burden of transmission costs, including joint ownership and the elimination of transmission incentives.

Issues related to permitting on federal lands and energy dominance.