Opinion: 2 good bills in Congress could help the nation’s electricity needs
Steve Handy has some very valid points in his opinion piece, “Rural Utah could be selling electricity to urban areas, but more transmission lines are needed.”
Electricity needs will only increase, and this commodity is an economic opportunity waiting to grow. Unfortunately, Handy rightly points out that long distance transmission lines take an enormously long time to come to fruition, if at all.
One of the problems is with interstate approvals, as there is currently no overseeing agency to keep the process moving along. Another is the urgency at which each state validates such projects. The 15 years Handy refers to is way too long considering the need to electrify more immediately to mitigate the negative effects of climate change. Moving the much-needed electricity from the source to the need will require a transmission network expansion.
Luckily there are two good bills sitting in Congress designed for this growth. The Big Wires Act introduced by Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., and Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif., would solve many problems. A more comprehensive Clean Electricity and Transmission Acceleration Act introduced by Reps. Sean Casten, D-Ill., and Mike Levin, D-Calif., would also be welcome. I urge Congress to enhance our permitting process soon in a bipartisan manner with either of these or a similar bill enacted.
Jonathan Light
Laguna Niguel, CA
