To prohibit the breaching of federally operated dams if such breach would result in the replacement energy resource occupying additional acreage, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · April 29, 2024
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
The ACRES Act would prohibit the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from breaching federally operated dams if the replacement energy source would require at least 5 percent more land than the dam currently occupies. The bill applies to all federally operated dams nationwide and would effectively block dam removal projects that result in replacing hydroelectric power with energy sources requiring larger land footprints, such as solar or wind farms. If the Army Corps considers breaching a dam, the legislation requires it to conduct a study in coordination with the Interior Department to compare the acreage used by the existing dam to the acreage needed for its replacement energy resource. The bill contains no specific funding appropriations or implementation timelines beyond the requirement to conduct comparative acreage studies. This legislation would primarily affect federal agencies managing dam infrastructure and renewable energy projects that might otherwise involve dam removal as part of environmental restoration or energy transition efforts.
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