Governors Wind Energy Coalition
Eminent domain opens doors for fossil fuels could it do the same for renewable energy? Source: By Ysabelle Kempe, Grist • Posted: Tuesday, April 27, 2021
Environmentalists have long opposed eminent domain for fossil fuel projects. Now, the legal power could be vital to building renewable energy infrastructure.
For renewable energy to power the United States, the country will need ambitious politicians, public buy-in, and billions of dollars in investment. But there’s a slightly less flashy tool that will also play a key role in the renewable energy transition: eminent domain law.
Eminent domain is the government’s power to seize private property for public use (with fair payment). It’s controversial many Americans staunchly defend their private property rights but the truth is that eminent domain has shaped the U.S. into the country we know today. From highways to national parks to public buildings such as cour
Known as PacWave, the project is based around two locations: PacWave North, a test-site for small-scale, prototype, and maritime market technologies, and PacWave South, which is under development and has received grants from the Department of Energy and the State of Oregon, among others.
In March, PacWave South which will be located 7 miles offshore in federal waters measuring 70 to 75 meters deep took a significant step forward when it was announced that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission had granted Oregon State University (OSU) a license to build and operate a test facility at the site.
According to OSU, PacWave South is the first commercial-scale, utility grid-connected test site in the United States to obtain a FERC license and will be the first marine renewable energy research facility in federal waters off the Pacific Coast.
By Mike Genet mike.genet@examiner.net
The Examiner
While state and federal agencies look into the energy prices during February’s cold snap, some Independence City Council members warn about sticker shock if the city’s electric utility has to recover some costs.
The municipal utility had told customers a few weeks ago that they would see slightly higher bills into the summer due to the cold snap. To recover some of those costs, IPL said customers would see an increase of about $9 to $10 in the fuel-cost-adjustment portion of their bill for several months. Department director Jim Nail said he chose that method rather than a single, higher add-on to bills.
Dive Brief:
The Department of Energy announced $8.25 billion in loans available for transmission projects on Tuesday, as the White House released a fact sheet on the coordinated efforts between DOE and the Department of Transportation (DOT) to modernize the electric grid.
The total included up to $5 billion in loan guarantees for innovative transmission projects, such as offshore wind, and projects sited on federally recognized tribal nations through DOE s Loan Program Office, along with up to $3.25 billion in the Western Area Power Administration s (WAPA) transmission infrastructure fund. The WAPA revolving loan program is designed to facilitate clean power in the West.
Controversial $1 billion PennEast pipeline case heard by U.S. Supreme Court
Updated Apr 29, 2021;
Posted Apr 28, 2021
A sign June 29, 2016, on Hewitt Road in Hunterdon County show opposition to the proposed PennEast Pipeline.TT TT Michael Mancuso
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Supporters and detractors of plans for a $1 billion natural gas pipeline had their day in the nation’s highest court Wednesday.
The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in PennEast Pipeline Co. v. New Jersey, a slow-burning case weighing state protections for preserved lands against the powers granted to private companies to seize property for pipeline construction.
At stake in New Jersey is the future of the controversial PennEast pipeline, a proposed 120-mile-long piece of infrastructure designed to carry natural gas from the fracking fields of Pennsylvania through western Hunterdon County and Mercer County to destinations and customers elsewhere.