The House Committee on Natural Resources advanced a bill today that would balance renewable energy development with fish and wildlife resources. Introduced by Paul Gosar, the Public Land Renewable Energy Development Act passed through the committee with unanimous support.
“The Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act offers an innovative approach to advance renewable development while supporting fish and wildlife conservation on our vital public lands, said Steve Moyer, VP of Government Affairs for Trout Unlimited in a statement released by Gosar. “It creates a win-win scenario in which states and counties, American energy consumers, and the public lands, all benefit. We thank Representative Gosar for his steadfast leadership on the bill, and we applaud the strong bipartisan list of cosponsors for the bill,” said Moyer.
Gosar, the bill’s sponsor said the act makes a true all-of-the-above energy policy a reality.
“My bill is a bipartisan reform that promotes the smart development of renewable energy by eliminating unnecessary red tape to create a streamlined process that will, in turn, drive investment toward high quality renewable resources,” said Gosar. “The revenue sharing mechanism in this bill will help local governments deliver critical services on important projects such as road maintenance, public safety and law enforcement.”
Previous versions of the legislation have enjoyed the support of more than 30 national sportsmen’s organizations, the National Association of Counties, the Western Governors’ Association and numerous members of Congress from both sides of the aisle.