House approves bipartisan Gibson bill to extend hydroelectric project deadline

The House of Representatives approved legislation – H.R. 4434 – on Wednesday that was authored by U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson (R-NY) to extend a hydroelectric project deadline at the Cannonsville Dam.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) granted New York a two-year license to construct a hydroelectric plant at the Cannonsville Dam in 2014. When preliminary work began in 2015, however, subsurface conditions required unforeseen repairs and analyses to ensure the dam’s structural integrity and to protect New York City’s water supply.

Gibson’s bill would authorize FERC to extend the hydroelectric project’s construction deadline for up to four two-year periods. Extension would allow work on the dam, as well as work on the city’s Delaware Aqueduct, to be completed.

“This is constituent-driven legislation that promotes clean, affordable energy, environmentally-sound construction, and a thorough review process to protect residents, property, wildlife and natural resources in Delaware County and our down-river communities,” Gibson said. “I am also pleased to note this is a bipartisan bill, with every New York representative on the House Energy and Commerce Committee signing on as a co-sponsor. I want to thank them for their support.”

U.S. Reps. Chris Collins (R-NY), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Eliot Engel (D-NY) and Yvette Clarke (D-NY) cosponsored the bipartisan bill.