Skip to main content

Napolitano's Hoover Dam Bill Leaves Committee, Awaits Senate Vote

July 22, 2010

(Washington D.C.)- Yesterday, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee agreed to the Hoover Power Allocation Act of 2010 (H.R. 4349) and reported it favorably out of committee. Rep. Grace F. Napolitano authored the legislation, which establishes how the dam’s electricity will be distributed until 2067.

“I applaud the committee for moving this bill forward,” Napolitano said. “This bill allows 29 million Americans to continue to rely on the Hoover Dam for power, and grants new access to its electricity for thousands of Native Americans and other eligible groups.”

In earlier authorizations, Native American organizations were not eligible to receive power allocations from the Hoover Dam. The Hoover Bill Allocation Act of 2010 sets aside 5% of the dam’s power for Native Americans, irrigation districts, electric cooperatives, and other entities that previously lacked access.

The cities of Los Angeles, Glendale, Pasadena, Burbank, Anaheim, Azusa, Banning, Colton, Riverside, and Vernon, as well as the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the Southern California Edison Company, and entities within Arizona and Nevada will continue to have access to electricity from the Hoover Dam.

The bill passed the House on June 8. Now that it has passed in committee, the bill awaits a vote by the full Senate before it can be signed into law. The Senate sponsor is Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV).

Hoover Dam power allocations for state utilities and municipalities were last authorized in 1984, and are set to expire in 2017. Reauthorizing Hoover power allocations early is necessary in order for electric and water utilities to meet future planning requirements, ensure effective regional transmission planning, and provide reliable water deliveries.

Rep. Napolitano is the Chair of the Water and Power Subcommittee in the U.S. House of Representatives.

(###)

Issues:Water