This morning, H.R. 825, the Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act was approved by unanimous consent in the House Natural Resources Committee. This step sets the bill up for vote by the full House, which is a great step forward toward moving this legislation into law.
Trout Unlimited’s letter in support of this bill is included below.
We thank Congressman Gosar for his leadership in sponsoring and sheparding this bill through the committee process. Mr. Gosar’s press release regarding today’s action (indluding a quote from TU’s Steve Moyer) is available here: https://gosar.house.gov/press-release/two-gosar-bills-pass-house-committee-natural-resources-bipartisan-unanimous-consent
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170725_TU support PLREDA H.R.825 markup.pdf
July 25, 2017
RE: Trout Unlimited Supports H.R. 825, the Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act of 2017.
Dear Chairman Bishop, Ranking Member Grijalva, and members of the Committee:
Trout Unlimited (TU) strongly supports the bipartisan Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act of 2017 (PLREDA, H.R. 825). The bill has earned broad support among many counties, local businesses, and organizations across the country, and has already garnered 36 bipartisan co-sponsors in the House.
TU’s mission is to conserve, protect and restore coldwater fisheries and their habitats. Public lands are critical to TU’s mission because they contain some of the most valuable trout and salmon habitat in the nation. Many of our 300,000 members and supporters are trout and salmon anglers who invest a good deal time and energy both for fishing on the public lands, but in partnering with the federal agencies, states and counties to conserve public lands.
The Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act offers a way to advance development of renewable energy on public lands in a manner that supports public land values and offsets unavoidable impacts by creating a conservation fund derived from royalties and other lease revenues. The bill will create a positive incentive for counties and states to support the construction of renewable energy projects on public lands by ensuring that a portion of project revenue will flow back to states and counties.
H.R. 825 will improve management of public lands, promote renewable energy development and help to improve public lands for future generations by directing a portion of project revenues conservation for fish and wildlife management.
The Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act is an innovative and important piece of legislation. It creates a win-win scenario in which states and counties, American energy consumers, and the public lands all reap meaningful and significant benefits. As demonstrated by the broad and growing support for this bill, H.R. 825 is common-sense, effective, and positive.
We urge you to support H.R. 825.
Sincerely,
Steve Moyer
Vice President for Government Affairs