There was a bright spot on transmission today: the Obama Administration produced a memo of understanding (MOU to the wonks) that will streamline decisionmaking on siting new transmission on federal lands.
This is very significant because much of the new transmission is needed in the West, where most federal lands are. and because federal agencies don't usually cooperate without many meetings and studies. As a result, lengthy delays in obtaining permits from federal agencies to build transmission lines across federal land are a major barrier to accessing the country’s best renewable energy resources.
AWEA CEO Denise Bode voiced enthusiastic support. “The wind industry applauds the Obama administration for recognizing the need to address transmission barriers and enacting a measure to improve the speed and ease with which transmission can be constructed across federal lands. This MOU is an important step towards putting more of our abundant renewable energy resources to use, powering American homes and businesses with clean, domestic sources of energy while creating thousands of high-paying jobs here in America,” she said.
But this is not the only action needed, Bode suggested. “The policy announced today is an important complement to legislative measures that have been proposed in the Senate to update policies that govern how transmission is planned, paid for, and permitted. Investment in our grid has lagged because our transmission policies have failed to keep up with changes in the electric sector, like the growing need to access renewable energy resources...We urge Congress, the Administration, and state and federal regulatory authorities to take further action to streamline transmission permitting processes and implement broad transmission cost allocation policies.” |
