David Enterprise - Bill Aims To Boost Energy Projects On Public Land
July 20, 2012
By Cory Golden
Rep. Mike Thompson on Thursday introduced a bill aimed at making it easier to generate renewable energy on public land and would give local and state governments a cut of the royalties.
Thompson, D-St. Helena, and Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., said the bill would speed up the permitting process for wind and solar energy projects, treating them similarly to oil and gas projects.
“By streamlining renewable energy projects on public lands, we can reduce our dependency on foreign oil and put Californians back to work,” Thompson said in a news release. “This bill is good for our economy, our national security and our environment. It will spur job growth, grow our energy sector, support conservation and help us pay down our deficit.”
The bill would establish royalty rates for such projects, with half going to the county and state in which the project is located and portions going to conservation, a permit-processing fund and federal deficit reduction. Often, state and local governments are ordinarily left empty-handed on such projects because public lands are not taxable.
Thompson, D-St. Helena, and Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., said the bill would speed up the permitting process for wind and solar energy projects, treating them similarly to oil and gas projects.
“By streamlining renewable energy projects on public lands, we can reduce our dependency on foreign oil and put Californians back to work,” Thompson said in a news release. “This bill is good for our economy, our national security and our environment. It will spur job growth, grow our energy sector, support conservation and help us pay down our deficit.”
The bill would establish royalty rates for such projects, with half going to the county and state in which the project is located and portions going to conservation, a permit-processing fund and federal deficit reduction. Often, state and local governments are ordinarily left empty-handed on such projects because public lands are not taxable.