US President Obama signs hydropower development bill into law

US President Barack Obama has signed the ‘Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act’ into law to clear the blockades in hydropower sector.

The new law is expected to enhance the hydro project developments, besides creating new job opportunities by attracting investments in the domestic energy sector.

It is also expected to remove the uncalled for environmental analysis and narrow down regulatory costs for hydropower development.

US Wyoming state Senator John Barrasso had introduced the act earlier on 13 February 2013 along with Idaho State Senator Jim Risch in a bid to encourage small-scale hydro project developments.

Senator Barrasso said that the bill is intended at removing all the barriers for hydropower development, create rural jobs and lower electricity prices for American families.

"By cutting unnecessary Washington red tape, this law gives hydropower developers the certainty they need to move forward with new projects on over 40,000 miles of federal canals throughout the West," added Barrasso.

"I’ll continue to introduce legislation that removes excessive regulations and makes it easier for our country to produce our own energy."

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the law would generate federal revenues of around $5m over the 2012-2021 period.

Wyoming is said to have over 121 Bureau of Reclamation canal sites, which could be utilised to develop small hydropower units, according to a Bureau of Reclamation March 2012 report.