A controversial plan to build a massive hydroelectric power plant adjacent to Joshua Tree National Park got a big boost last week. Congress unanimously approved “America’s Water Infrastructure Act,” a bill that authorizes and fund projects all over the country. The bill includes a provision that allows regulators to approve the Eagle Mountain hydropower plant. Environmentalists oppose the Eagle Mountain project, arguing it would drain desert groundwater and harm wildlife in and around the national park. Developers have not yet found a buyer for the electricity the facility would generate; they also missed a deadline to break ground. Opponents have asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to terminate the project, but the bill that passed the House September 13 extends the construction deadline for the $2.5 billion hydropower project, giving Eagle Mountain developers time to get started. The legislation has bipartisan support and is likely to pass the Senate and be signed into law by President Trump. Developer Eagle Crest Energy Company, and partner, Florida-based NextEra Energy Resources, say their project would help California meet its renewable energy by acting as a giant battery, absorbing excess electricity from the state’s solar and wind farms when supply exceeds demand, then generating hydro-electricity when it’s needed.
