The Hydroelectric Program has lead responsibility for Oregon’s hydroelectric licensing and reauthorization programs. This includes the review and processing of applications for major and minor hydroelectric projects and coordinating the reviews with other state agencies that have consulting and permitting responsibilities in the licensing program of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The economic and natural resources issues surrounding the licensing or relicensing of a hydroelectric project are often highly complex and may be significantly important to local interest groups. Considerable time is spent crafting agreements for mitigation measures to minimize impacts of major hydroelectric projects on fish and wildlife; plants and wetlands; recreation; historic, cultural and archeological resources; and land and soils resources.
The program is responsible for inspecting existing projects to ensure they are complying with the terms and conditions of state water rights or licenses. The program is responsible for billing and collecting annual project fees, which are used to support hydroelectric programs at the Oregon Water Resources Department (WRD), Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. The program is also responsible for representing the state’s position on hydroelectric projects before the FERC.