**The full committee hearing is available HERE**

**Kuster’s full remarks are available HERE**

Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02), a member of the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee, urged immediate action to establish American energy independence and bolster domestic clean energy production during a hearing entitled, "The Fiscal Year 2023 DOE Budget." During the hearing focused on the Department of Energy (DOE) budget for the fiscal year 2023, Kuster questioned Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm about investing in renewables, like hydropower, and addressing the high cost of fuel and other power sources.

“American families in New Hampshire and across the country are feeling the effects of high energy costs — that’s why I am working to bolster domestic production of clean energy and ease our reliance on foreign fossil fuels,” said Rep. Kuster. “I am particularly interested in harnessing our nation’s untapped hydropower resources and finding new opportunities to retrofit existing dams to help lower energy prices. I introduced legislation last year to accomplish this goal, and I will continue working with my colleagues on this committee and with the Department of Energy to enact policies like these to get our hydropower resources flowing.”

Rep. Kuster’s Twenty-First Century Dams Act will:

• Improve Public Safety: Invests in state dam safety capabilities, expands grant funding for the rehabilitation of existing dams, and makes available low-interest loans to rehabilitate non-federal dams. 
• Enhance Clean Energy Production and Grid Resilience: Creates a 30% investment tax credit at qualifying dams for safety, environmental improvements, grid flexibility, and dam removals, and invests in existing federal dams to improve their safety and renewable energy generating capacity. 
• Restore River Ecosystems: Authorizes an interagency and stakeholder advisory committee to help administer a public source of climate resilience and conservation funding to reconnect 10,000 miles of rivers through the removal of 1,000 dams with owner consent. 

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