Western Lawmakers Work to Improve Electric Transmission in the West

Press Release

Western Lawmakers Work to Improve Electric Transmission in the Wes

U.S. Representatives Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., Walt Minnick, D-Idaho, and Rob Bishop, R-Utah, are leading a bipartisan effort to reach out to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar regarding the need for increased electric transmission in the West - particularly from renewable sources of energy.

In a letter to Secretary Salazar, signed by 15 Republican and Democrat colleagues, the congressmen wrote "the transmission infrastructure simply doesn't exist to get wind, solar, and geothermal power to market. If the administration is serious about tapping these currently underutilized western resources in any significant way, it will be best served by partnering with state leaders to determine a coordinated path forward."

"President Obama has made it clear that ramping up electric transmission, particularly to bring western renewable power to market, is a high priority on his energy agenda," Rep. Lummis said. "I applaud the Administration's goal. As such, I encourage the Administration to work with officials from western states to determine the appropriate role of the federal government to bring electric transmission from renewable sources of energy to consumers."

"The west is the future of energy, with our ready access to clean renewables and untapped natural resources," Rep. Minnick said. "To help the rest of America we need more transmission lines and a simpler process for those lines to utilize and pass through the federal lands which dominate the west."

"The West will continue to play a prominent role in meeting this nation's energy needs," Rep. Bishop said. "One of the first steps towards helping America achieve greater energy independence and a diverse domestic energy supply is to build the needed transmission lines to get the energy from where it is developed to where it needs to go."

The letter also goes on to state, "Successfully harnessing the full potential of our renewable resources will not happen overnight. Interest and investment in new renewable projects will depend largely on the ability to deliver that energy to consumers. By working with states in a proactive manner, the federal government can prepare for future increased power transfer capability as new lines are being constructed."

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