,,ii  #aaeth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #ajbi  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,may #c1 #bjag 
,mr4 ,king 7for himself and ,mr4 ,flake7
 introduced the following bill2 which   
was read twice and referred to the      
,committee on ,energy and ,natural      
,resources  ,a ,,bill  ,to amend the    
,public ,utility ,regulatory ,policies  
,act of #aigh to exempt certain small   
hydroelectric power projects that are   
applying for relicensing under the      
,federal ,power ,act from the licensing 
requirements of that ,act4  #a4         
,exemptions from licensing requirements 
for certain small hydroelectric power   
projects ,section #dje of the ,public   
,utility ,regulatory ,policies ,act of  
#aigh 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #bgje7 is amended  
by striking subsection 7d7 and inserting
 the following3  7d7 ,exemptions from   
licensing requirements in certain cases 
7#a7 ,in general ,subject to paragraphs 
7#b7 and 7#c71 the ,commission may in   
its discretion 7by rule or order71 on a 

case-by-case basis or on the basis of   
classes or categories of projects1 grant
 an exemption in whole or in part from  
the requirements 7including the         
licensing requirements7 of part ,i of   
the ,federal ,power ,act to any small   
hydroelectric power projects--  7,a7    
having a proposed installed capacity of 
#aj1jjj kilowatts or less2 or  7,b7 for 
which a license was issued under part ,i
 of the ,federal ,power ,act 7#af       
,u4,s4,c4 #gib et seq47 and that files  
for an exemption under this subsection1 
if--  7i7 the original or new license   
was issued after ,june #ai1 #aiia2  7ii7
 the project is in an area that has not 
been determined to be critical to a     
species listed as threatened or         
endangered under section #d of the      
,endangered ,species ,act of #aigc 7#af 
,u4,s4,c4 #aecc7 as of the date of the  
filing for an exemption under this      
subsection2  7iii7 the project has an   
installed capacity of #ae megawatts or  
less2 and  7iv7 an exemption issued by  

the ,commission under this subsection   
does not take effect until the          
expiration of the existing license4     
7#b7 ,requirements ,the exemptions      
granted under subparagraphs 7,a7 and    
7,b7 of paragraph 7#a7 shall be subject 
to the same limitations 7to ensure      
protection for fish and wildlife as well
 as other environmental concerns7 as    
those which are set forth in subsections
 7c7 and 7d7 of section #cj of the      
,federal ,power ,act with respect to    
determinations made and exemptions      
granted under subsection 7b7 of such    
section #cj2 and subsections 7c7 and 7d7
 of such section #cj shall apply with   
respect to actions taken and exemptions 
granted under this subsection4  7#c7    
,effects ,except as specifically        
provided in this subsection1 the        
granting of an exemption to a project   
under this subsection shall in no case  
have the effect of waiving or limiting  
the application 7to such project7 of the
 second sentence of subsection 7b7 of   

this section4  4