Hydropower Improvement Act of 2015

[AI summary unavailable — showing source text] Hydropower Improvement Act of 2015 This bill declares that hydropower is a renewable resource for purposes of all federal programs and is an essential source of energy in the United States. The Federal Power Act is amended to limit the conditions placed on construction licenses issued for dams, conduits and reservoirs within any federal to those that: (1) pertain to the reservation land on which project works are located; and (2) have a clear and direct nexus to the presence or operations of the project being licensed, as determined by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Preliminary permits issued to maintain priority of application for a license may be extended from three years to four years. FERC may: (1) extend the period of a preliminary permit for up to four additional years beyond the initial four years, and (2) grant the permittee an additional permit if extraordinary circumstances warrant that action. When determining the term of a license, FERC must consider project-related investments by the licensee over the term of the existing license that resulted in new development, construction, capacity, efficiency improvements, or environmental measures, but which did…