Navigating Regulatory Uncertainty and Recent Regulatory Changes – Roundtable Dialogue
CLEAN CURRENTS 2026
Time: 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Day: 9/23/2026
Room Number: CC Central: Roundtable Dialogues Room
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The water power industry is experiencing significant changes in regulatory guidelines and requirements, as well as in the resource agency staff we interact with. Join a robust dialogue about the implications the recent and anticipated regulatory changes are having on hydro owners, best practices for managing the uncertainty, and potential challenges and opportunities that they present.
Background about This Topic
Under the current Presidential administration, there have been, or are anticipated to be, many regulatory changes that directly impact hydro project owners and developers, and their service and product suppliers.
Such changes are related to regulatory agency authority, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), among others.
In addition, the federal workforce has undergone a significant transformation over the past couple of years, resulting in agency staffing shortages and the introduction of new players that had not previously been involved at hydro projects.
Combined, these changes and their associated uncertainty have the potential to impact upcoming or ongoing Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) licensing proceedings as well as license implementation and compliance.
Somewhat similar changes occurred during the first Trump Administration only to then be reversed during the Biden Administration. Such drastic changes from administration to administration make long-term planning difficult for those navigating the various regulatory processes.
This session will examine the recent and anticipated regulatory changes, their implications to hydro owners, best practices for managing the uncertainty, and potential challenges and opportunities that they present.
