Today, the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held a legislative hearing on H.R. 2663, the Public Land Renewable Energy Development Act of 2015, which aims to streamline and facilitate increased development of renewable energy on federal land.   

H.R. 2663 advances an “all-of-the-above” energy strategy by addressing the burdens facing solar, wind and geothermal energy development on federal lands. It provides regulatory certainty for developers and ensures a fair return for states and taxpayers.

“Unfortunately, energy development on our public lands has been hampered repeatedly by regulatory and bureaucratic red tape, as well as costly lawsuits with dubious goals […]. It comes as no surprise the renewable industry regards the permitting process on federal land as being ‘substantially more difficult to pursue than permitting on private lands,’” Subcommittee Chairman Doug Lamborn (R-CO) said.   

From a county made up of 75% federal lands, Mohave County, AZ Supervisor Buster Johnson talked about his frustration with the protracted federal permitting process.

“Simply put, there is no reason for the BLM to take several years to permit a project when our county offices can issue permits in weeks,” Johnson said.

Josh Nordquist, Director of Business Development for Ormat Technologies, Inc., discussed obstacles facing the geothermal federal permitting process citing a “greater set of obligations.”

“[W]e believe that this bill can help unlock new projects to create high-paying, long term jobs and baseload, emission-free power production,” Nordquist stated.

The bill also establishes a new revenue structure which would distribute royalties to affected states, affected counties, the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the “Renewable Energy Resource Conservation Fund.” The new Fund serves to mitigate the impacts of renewable development on federal land.

“The Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act presents a valuable, bipartisan opportunity to spur renewable energy development on public lands in a way that maximizes benefits to states, counties and the people who use public lands,” Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) said. “This proactive solution brings wind and solar energy more in line with the way other forms of energy development are permitted, creating greater long-term certainty. Additionally, it would direct revenues so that states and counties receive their fair share, so that hunting and fishing opportunities can be enhanced while permits can be processed more efficiently.”