mr JACK LINCOLN

Urged for action by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and oversight from Congress to assure the federal power program is managed in a transparent manner, costs are controlled and fairly allocated, and that the resource it provides is cost-competitive. Urged our congressional delegation to continue to resist any effort to expand the Department of Energys Western Area Power Administrations mission outside the scope of its current activities to assure the existing mission of the agency is not undermined. NCPA operates a hydroelectric generation project located in the Sierra Foothills. The license to operate that facility is up for relicensing in 2032-a process that is expected to cost $50 million and span 10+ years. Hydropower is a clean, carbon-free resource-and one of the only renewable power sources that can be available 24/7 and provide essential fast-ramping power needed to maintain the states electric grid. NCPA is urging Congress to pursue legislation to address this cumbersome hydropower relicensing process with a more streamlined and less resource-intensive process that also retains strong environmental analysis. NCPA recently retrofitted the Lodi Energy Center to enable the use of hydrogen fuel as a means of further reducing emissions from power production of the facility and is exploring options to facilitate renewable hydrogen production that could meet the needs of both the LEC and transportation along the I-5 and 99 highway corridors. NCPA encourages Congress to enact measures to incentivize and support new technologies, such as green hydrogen, that can help address the nations climate objectives. NCPA also encourages Congress to develop climate change and clean energy standard legislation that complements state-based policies that share similar goals. NCPA is pleased that the CLEAN Future Act includes language expressly deeming entities in states with more stringent standards in compliance with federal climate goals.

As public entities, NCPA and its members are recipients of power generated by the Central Valley Project in California. NCPA advocates before Congress to ensure power customers concerns regarding agency proposals affecting power rates, operations, and maintenance are understood and addressed where necessary. This includes requests for congressional oversight to assure transparency in decision-making by the federal agencies that manage this program, fairness among all of the multi-purpose uses of these projects, and efforts to prevent the unwarranted imposition of non-power-related costs onto public power customers. Many of NCPAs member communities exist in or around wildfire-prone areas known as Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) zones. NCPA encourages Congress to implement reforms that reduce the severity and frequency of wildfires in California and provide electric utilities with the tools and resources they need to decrease their risks associated with such incidents. NCPA operates a hydroelectric generation project located in the Sierra Foothills. Unfortunately, due to a series of extreme weather events and debris flows from U.S. Forest Service (USFS) land, a significant amount of sediment buildup has occurred in one of our reservoirs. This sediment buildup has degraded the water quality, accelerated the wear and tear of the turbines, and reduced overall power output to nine NCPA member communities served by the project. To ensure proper project operations, a solution is needed to remove the debris that has flowed into this reservoir from federal lands as a result of landslides and erosion-however, the USFS has thus far informally declined requests to relocate this non-contaminated sediment back onto the adjacent land it manages. NCPA is encouraging the USFS to take action to allow for sediment relocation on adjacent federal lands that were the initial source of the debris for fire breaks and soil augmentation, among other purposes.

NCPA advocates for Congress to fully restore the benefits of Build America Bonds that have been diminished by the application of sequestration. NCPA's Lodi Energy Center was financed through the use of these bonds, and the adverse financial impacts of sequestration on the public entities that invested in this project should be addressed. NCPA is encouraging Congress to re-establish tax-exempt advance refunding bonds to enable communities to lower their costs of financing and support economic revitalization. Tax-exempt advance refunding will also be an important tool to address local financial impacts of the pandemic, including utility arrearages. As Congress considers an extension and expansion of energy tax credits, it is important that public power systems receive comparable incentives for investments in eligible renewable energy projects. Current federal tax policy provides incentives for private investment in renewable energy projects, but not for the same investments made by public power entities. The GREEN Act addresses this inequity by allowing for the direct payment equal to 85% of energy production and investment tax credits and carbon capture tax credits to any entity that owns the project. NCPA urges Congress to provide comparable incentives for public power investments on par with investments made by private entities.

NCPA advocates for Congress to fully restore the benefits of Build America Bonds that have been diminished by the application of sequestration. NCPA's Lodi Energy Center was financed through the use of these bonds, and the adverse financial impacts of sequestration on the public entities that invested in this project should be addressed. NCPA is encouraging Congress to re-establish tax-exempt advance refunding bonds to enable communities to lower their costs of financing and support economic revitalization. Tax-exempt advance refunding will also be an important tool to address local financial impacts of the pandemic, including utility arrearages. As Congress considers an extension and expansion of energy tax credits, it is important that public power systems receive comparable incentives for investments in eligible renewable energy projects. Current federal tax policy provides incentives for private investment in renewable energy projects, but not for the same investments made by public power entities. The GREEN Act addresses this inequity by allowing for the direct payment equal to 85% of energy production and investment tax credits and carbon capture tax credits to any entity that owns the project. NCPA urges Congress to provide comparable incentives for public power investments on par with investments made by private entities.

A 2018 FCC Order on small cell pole attachments conflicts with existing law with regard to FCC regulatory authority over public power systems. This order undermines local control, preempts existing agreements, and threatens community safety. It also puts local communities in the position of subsidizing broadband providers. NCPA has advocated for passage of H.R. 530, legislation that would vacate the FCC Order and restore local control over pole attachments and broadband deployment.

Urged for action by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and oversight from Congress to assure the federal power program is managed in a transparent manner, costs are controlled and fairly allocated, and that the resource it provides is cost-competitive.

Build America Bonds-NCPA encourages Congress to fully restore the benefits of Build America Bonds that were diminished by the application of sequestration. NCPAs Lodi Energy Center was financed through the use of these bonds, and the adverse financial impacts of sequestration on the public entities that invested in this project should be remedied going forward. As public entities, NCPA and its members are recipients of power from the Central Valley Project. NCPA advocates before Congress to ensure power customers concerns regarding agency proposals affecting power rates, operations, and maintenance are understood and addressed where necessary. This includes requests for congressional oversight to assure transparency in decisionmaking by the federal agencies that manage this program, fairness among all of the multi-purpose uses of these projects, and efforts to prevent the unwarranted imposition of non-power-related costs onto public power customers. Many of NCPAs member communities are located in or around wildfire-prone areas known as Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) zones. NCPA encourages Congress to implement reforms that reduce the severity and frequency of wildfires in California, and the state and electric utilities with the tools and resources to decrease risks associated with such incidents. NCPA operates a hydroelectric generation project located in the Sierra Foothills. Unfortunately, due to a series of extreme weather events and debris flows from USFS land, a significant amount of sediment buildup has occurred in one of the reservoirs. This sediment buildup has degraded water quality, accelerated the wear and tear of the turbines, and reduced overall power output to nine NCPA member communities served by the project. To ensure proper project operations, a solution is needed to remove the debris that has flowed into this reservoir from federal lands as a result of landslides and erosion-however, the USFS has declined requests to relocate this non-contaminated sediment back onto the adjacent land it manages. NCPA is encouraging the U.S. Forest Service to take action to allow for sediment relocation on adjacent federal lands that were the initial source of the runoff.

In consideration of any new federal policy, NCPA encourages Congress to not abruptly curtail the use of recent clean energy investments like NCPA's Lodi Energy Center that were made in good faith to address Californias reliability needs and operational requirements to integrate intermittent renewable resources. Changes in federal energy policy that render the Lodi Energy Center inoperable or uneconomic would strand public bond investments. NCPA and its members benefit from the federal hydropower resource generated by the Central Valley Project in California. As a result of decades-long policy changes currently underway, NCPA encourages the Bureau of Reclamation to implement changes that do not jeopardize the sustainable, low cost, and reliable nature of the resource. Many of NPCAs member communities exist in or around wildfire-prone areas known as Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) zones. Given the changing environmental, regulatory, and business conditions that have led to an increase in destructive wildfires, NCPA encourages Congress to implement reforms that reduce the severity and frequency of wildfires and provide public power utilities with the tools and resources to decrease their risks associated with such incidents. NCPA and a large portion of it's membership benefit from our hydroelectric project. Unfortunately, due to a series of extreme weather events and debris flows from USFS land, a massive amount of sediment buildup has occurred. This sediment buildup has degraded the water quality, accelerated the wear and tear of the turbines, and reduced overall power output to nine NCPA member communities served by the project. To ensure proper project operations, a solution is needed to remove the debris that has flowed into this reservoir from federal lands through landslides and erosion-however, the USFS has declined requests to relocate the sediment back onto the adjacent land it manages. That is why NCPA is encouraging the U.S. Forest Service to take action to allow for sediment relocation on federal lands.

A recent FCC Order overturned local control over pole attachments, preempting existing agreements, threatening community safety, forcing subsidization of broadband providers, and countermands congressional directive. NCPA urged support for H.R. 530, legislation that would vacate the FCC order and restore local control over pole attachments and broadband deployment.

Urged for action by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation that would provide a comprehensive solution that restores the competitiveness of power from the Central Valley Project (CVP) and the viability of the CVP system, assuring that the many public benefits this project provides to Californians continue to be realized. Included in this request was: 1) that the Bureau's Cost Allocation Study should be revised to reflect the actual value of CVP Power, 2) that funds associated with overcharging power customers for CVPIA costs must be returned to customers.

In consideration of any new federal policy, NCPA encourages Congress to not abruptly curtail the use of recent clean energy investments like NCPA's Lodi Energy Center that were made in good faith to address Californias reliability needs and operational requirements to integrate intermittent renewable resources. Changes in federal energy policy that render the Lodi Energy Center inoperable or uneconomic would strand public bond investments. NCPA and its members benefit from the federal hydropower resource generated by the Central Valley Project in California. As a result of decades-long policy changes currently underway, NCPA encourages the Bureau of Reclamation to implement changes that do not jeopardize the sustainable, low cost, and reliable nature of the resource. Many of NPCAs member communities exist in or around wildfire-prone areas known as Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) zones. Given the changing environmental, regulatory, and business conditions that have led to an increase in destructive wildfires, NCPA encourages Congress to implement reforms that reduce the severity and frequency of wildfires and provide public power utilities with the tools and resources to decrease their risks associated with such incidents. NCPA and a large portion of it's membership benefit from our hydroelectric project. Unfortunately, due to a series of extreme weather events and debris flows from USFS land, a massive amount of sediment buildup has occurred. This sediment buildup has degraded the water quality, accelerated the wear and tear of the turbines, and reduced overall power output to nine NCPA member communities served by the project. To ensure proper project operations, a solution is needed to remove the debris that has flowed into this reservoir from federal lands through landslides and erosion-however, the USFS has declined requests to relocate the sediment back onto the adjacent land it manages. That is why NCPA is encouraging the U.S. Forest Service to take action to allow for sediment relocation on federal lands.

A recent FCC Order overturned local control over pole attachments, preempting existing agreements, threatening community safety, forcing subsidization of broadband providers, and countermands congressional directive. NCPA urged support for H.R. 530, legislation that would vacate the FCC order and restore local control over pole attachments and broadband deployment.

Urged for action by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation that would provide a comprehensive solution that restores the competitiveness of power from the Central Valley Project (CVP) and the viability of the CVP system, assuring that the many public benefits this project provides to Californians continue to be realized. Included in this request was: 1) that the Bureau's Cost Allocation Study should be revised to reflect the actual value of CVP Power, 2) that funds associated with overcharging power customers for CVPIA costs must be returned to customers.

Urged for action by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation that would provide a comprehensive solution that restores the competitiveness of power from the Central Valley Project (CVP) and the viability of the CVP system, assuring that the many public benefits this project provides to Californians continue to be realized. Included in this request was: 1) that the Bureau's Cost Allocation Study should be revised to reflect the actual value of CVP Power, 2) that funds associated with overcharging power customers for CVPIA costs must be returned to customers.

A recent FCC Order overturned local control over pole attachments, preempting existing agreements, threatening community safety, forcing subsidization of broadband providers, and countermands congressional directive. NCPA urged support for H.R. 530, legislation that would vacate the FCC order and restore local control over pole attachments and broadband deployment.