Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Creates a new section of the tax code (Section 48F) providing a 30% investment tax credit for eligible "hydropower improvement property" placed in service after December 31, 2022. Eligible improvements include fish passage, water-quality and sediment measures, dam safety upgrades, public access, removal of obsolete nonpowered dams, and interconnection for small remote hydro.
Environmental benefit versus risk of subsidizing harmful dams
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill clearly establishes a new tax credit for hydropower improvement property and is well-integrated into the Internal Revenue Code through explicit statutory insertions and conforming amendments.
Creates a new section of the tax code (Section 48F) providing a 30% investment tax credit for eligible "hydropower improvement property" placed in service after December 31, 2022.
Eligible improvements include fish passage, water-quality and sediment measures, dam safety upgrades, public access, removal of obsolete nonpowered dams, and interconnection for small remote hydro.
Requires written approval from FERC or appropriate state/local officials before January 1, 2032.
Technically narrow and administrable with some bipartisan appeal, but revenue impact and policy tradeoffs reduce standalone chances.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill clearly establishes a new tax credit for hydropower improvement property and is well-integrated into the Internal Revenue Code through explicit statutory insertions and conforming amendments. The eligibility definitions and core credit mechanics are specific, but administrative procedures for approvals, fiscal acknowledgement, and outcome accountability are limited or absent in the text.
Environmental benefit versus risk of subsidizing harmful dams
These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.
Environmental benefit versus risk of subsidizing harmful dams
Likely broadly supportive because the credit funds fish passages, habitat restoration, and dam removals while advancing low‑carbon power.
Would stress safeguards so credits don’t simply subsidize ecologically harmful dams or private profits.
Would press for strict environmental metrics, community input, and prioritization of removal where restoration benefits exceed retention.
Likely cautiously favorable as targeted infrastructure incentives that can improve grid resilience and public safety.
Would seek clarity on cost, oversight, and eligibility to prevent waste.
Wants fiscal transparency, rigorous approval criteria, and monitoring to ensure taxpayer value.
Likely skeptical; opposes federal subsidies that pick energy winners and create market distortions.
May support dam safety and remote interconnection but objects to direct pay/transferability and taxpayer-funded subsidies to private operators.
Would want limits, offsets, and tighter targeting to safety and grid reliability.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
Technically narrow and administrable with some bipartisan appeal, but revenue impact and policy tradeoffs reduce standalone chances.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Environmental benefit versus risk of subsidizing harmful dams
Technically narrow and administrable with some bipartisan appeal, but revenue impact and policy tradeoffs reduce standalone chances.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill clearly establishes a new tax credit for hydropower improvement property and is well-integrated into the Internal Revenue Code through explicit statutory insertions a…
Go beyond the headline summary with full stakeholder mapping, legislative design analysis, passage barriers, and lens-by-lens tradeoff breakdowns.