WASHINGTON (AP) — All solar and wind energy projects on federal lands and waters must be personally approved by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum under a new order that authorizes him to conduct “elevated review” of activities ranging from leases to rights of way, construction and operational plans, grants and biological opinions.
The enhanced oversight on clean-energy projects is aimed at “ending preferential treatment for unreliable, subsidy-dependent wind and solar energy,” the Interior Department said in a statement Thursday. The order “will ensure all evaluations are thorough and deliberative” on potential projects on millions of acres of federal lands and offshore areas, the department said.
Clean-energy advocates said the action could hamstring projects that need to be underway quickly to qualify for federal tax credits that are set to expire under the tax-cut and spending bill that President Donald Trump signed into law on July 4. The law phases out credits for wind, solar and other renewable energy while enhancing federal support for fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas.
“At a time when energy demand is skyrocketing, adding more layers of bureaucracy and red tape for energy projects at the Interior Department is exactly the wrong approach,’' said Stephanie Bosh, senior vice president of the Solar Energy Industries Association. “There’s no question this directive is going to make it harder to maintain our global (artificial intelligence) leadership and achieve energy independence here at home.’'
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https://apnews.com/article/burgum-trump-wind-solar-clean-energy-5f496ccc8b409edad853b35cc40728fb
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