Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2008

Floor Speech

ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008 -- (House of Representatives - June 20, 2007)

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Mr. COSTA. Mr. Chairman, I rise to oppose this amendment.

The 2005 energy law required the Department of Energy to identify geographical areas throughout the country where congestion in the electric grid is raising prices and creating reliability concerns.

Ladies and gentlemen, I don't think I have to tell anybody here on the floor that we have an energy crisis in this country, and there are a host of reasons why we have an energy crisis in this country. And I think most of us understand that, frankly, there is not one silver bullet that is going to resolve these issues.

The designation of this 2005 energy law creates interest of corridors, clearly vests States with the primary responsibility for siting transmission lines and considering what local or regional benefits and consequences exist.

I think it is clear that in the 2005 law that we are seeking to amend here that the national designation does not, does not, usurp State authority for siting transmission lines. Yet we have a lot of challenges on a regional basis.

In California we are attempting to try to work with Arizona to the mutual benefit of citizens living in both States to try to allow for the conductivity of that energy back and forth as well as to try to maintain the stability of much-needed electricity for our constituents in the Southwest.

This amendment, I think, would do great harm to that. And that is precisely why I think the 2005 law was designed to address short-sighted and narrow interests blocking the public good.

I ask that you reject this amendment.

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