HV power lines delayed due to court ruling
- The federal energy department's plans to speed the placement of high-voltage transmission lines around the country has hit a roadblock - a new court ruling.
Energy officials started cooking up what they call "national interest electric transmission corridors" six years ago. That's when Congress proposed a law to create a fast-track process that would direct more electricity to big cities.
Some corridors would cut through the Southwest United States, including California's Mojave Desert. Almost immediately, environmental groups and state energy authorities objected.
The Wilderness Society and other activists said that federal environmental laws require more scrutiny when the government designates large swaths of land for construction. States including California objected that the federal Department of Energy didn't consult with local authorities.
More than a dozen separate lawsuits about these fast-track transmission corridors have been making their way through courts. Now a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has sided with the environmentalists and the states.
The ruling means the energy department must back up and re-start studies about which cities need the most power – and which lands need the most protection.
Related News
U.S. offshore wind power about to soar
WASHINGTON - Recent offshore lease sales demonstrate that not only has offshore wind arrived in the U.S., but it is clearly set to soar. The level of participation today, especially from seasoned offshore oil and gas developers, exemplifies that the offshore industry is an advocate for the 'all of the above' energy portfolio.
Offshore wind could generate 160,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs, with 40,000 new U.S. jobs with the first 8 gigawatts of production.
In fact, a recent report from the Special Initiative on Offshore Wind (SIOW), said that offshore wind investment in U.S. waters will require $70 billion by 2030…