In this subsection, the term “eligible non-Federal interest” means a non-Federal interest that owns or operates an existing non-Federal hydropower facility at a Corps of Engineers water resources development project.
On the written request of an eligible non-Federal interest, the Secretary shall conduct an evaluation to consider operational changes at the applicable project to facilitate production of non-Federal hydropower, consistent with authorized project purposes. The Secretary shall solicit input from interested stakeholders as part of the evaluation.
The eligible non-Federal interest shall pay 100 percent of the costs associated with an evaluation under this subsection, including the costs to prepare the report under paragraph (6).
On completion of an evaluation under this subsection, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Environment and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report on the effects of the operational changes proposed by the non-Federal interest and examined in the evaluation on the authorized purposes of the project, including a description of any negative impacts of the proposed operational changes on the authorized purposes of the project, or on any Federal project located in the same basin.