2012 US Code
Title 16 - Conservation
Chapter 12 - FEDERAL REGULATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF POWER (§§ 791 - 828c)
Subchapter I - REGULATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF WATER POWER AND RESOURCES (§§ 791 - 823d)
Section 823a - Conduit hydroelectric facilities

Except as provided in subsection (b) or (c) of this  section,  the  Commission  may  grant  an exemption in whole or in part, from the requirements of this subchapter, including any license requirements contained in this subchapter, to any facility (not including any dam or other impoundment) constructed, operated, or maintained for the generation of electric power which the Commission determines, by rule or order—

(1) is located on non-Federal lands, and

(2) utilizes for such generation only the hydroelectric potential of a manmade conduit, which is operated for the distribution of water for agricultural, municipal, or industrial consumption and not primarily for the generation of electricity.

The Commission may not grant any exemption under subsection (a) of this section to any facility the installed capacity of which exceeds 15 megawatts (40 megawatts in the case of a facility constructed, operated, and maintained by an agency or instrumentality of a State or local government solely for water supply for municipal purposes).

In making the determination under subsection (a) of this section the Commission shall consult with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service ¹ National Marine Fisheries Service ¹ and the State agency exercising administration over the fish and wildlife resources of the State in which the facility is or will be located, in the manner provided by the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. 661, et seq.), and shall include in any such exemption—

(1) such terms and conditions as the Fish and Wildlife Service ¹ National Marine Fisheries Service ¹ and the State agency each determine are appropriate to prevent loss of, or damage to, such resources and to otherwise carry out the purposes of such Act, and

(2) such terms and conditions as the Commission deems appropriate to insure that such facility continues to comply with the provisions of this section and terms and conditions included in any such exemption.

Any violation of a term or condition of any exemption granted under subsection (a) of this section shall be treated as a violation of a rule or order of the Commission under this chapter.

The Commission, in addition to the requirements of section 803(e) of this title, shall establish fees which shall be paid by an applicant for a license or exemption for a project that is required to meet terms and conditions set by fish and wildlife agencies under subsection (c) of this section. Such fees shall be adequate to reimburse the fish and wildlife agencies referred to in subsection (c) of this section for any reasonable costs incurred in connection with any studies or other reviews carried out by such agencies for purposes of compliance with this section. The fees shall, subject to annual appropriations Acts, be transferred to such agencies by the Commission for use solely for purposes of carrying out such studies and shall remain available until expended.

(June 10, 1920, ch. 285, pt. I, §30, as added Pub. L. 95–617, title II, §213, Nov. 9, 1978, 92 Stat. 3148; amended Pub. L. 99–495, §7, Oct. 16, 1986, 100 Stat. 1248.)

The Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, referred to in subsec. (c), is act Mar. 10, 1934, ch. 55, 48 Stat. 401, as amended, which is classified generally to sections 661 to 666c of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 661 of this title and Tables.

A prior section 30 of act June 10, 1920, was classified to section 791 of this title, prior to repeal by act Aug. 26, 1935, ch. 687, title II, §212, 49 Stat. 847.

1986—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–495, §7(a), inserted provision setting the maximum installation capacity for exemptions under subsec. (a) at 40 megawatts in the case of a facility constructed, operated, and maintained by an agency or instrumentality of a State or local government solely for water supply for municipal purposes.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–495, §7(b), which directed the insertion of “National Marine Fisheries Service” after “the Fish and Wildlife Service” in both places such term appears, was executed by inserting “National Marine Fisheries Service” after “the United States Fish and Wildlife Service” and “the Fish and Wildlife Service”, as the probable intent of Congress.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 99–495, §7(c), added subsec. (e).

Amendment by Pub. L. 99–495 effective with respect to each license, permit, or exemption issued under this chapter after Oct. 16, 1986, see section 18 of Pub. L. 99–495, set out as a note under section 797 of this title.

Pub. L. 99–495, §8(c), Oct. 16, 1986, 100 Stat. 1251, provided that: “Nothing in this Act [see Short Title of 1986 Amendment note set out under section 791a of this title] shall affect the application of section 30(c) of the Federal Power Act [16 U.S.C. 823a(c)] to any exemption issued after the enactment of this Act [Oct. 16, 1986].”

¹ So in original. Probably should be followed by a comma.