House Democrats Plant Flag on Transmission, Clean Energy in 2024
December 13, 2023
- Plan viewed as alternative to GOP domestic energy agenda
- Bill would boost FERC’s role in renewable energy projects
House Democrats plan Wednesday to unveil their alternative to Republicans domestic energy agenda: a proposal aimed at putting clean-energy projects on a fast track and building more transmission lines nationwide.
The legislation crafted by Democratic Reps. Sean Casten (Ill.) and Mike Levin (Calif.) would update electricity rate-making to incentivize utilities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, give the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission siting authority for major interstate transmission lines, and ensure that local communities benefit from transmission-line projects.
It would also create a 30% transmission investment tax credit and a revenue-sharing arrangement benefiting states that support more renewable energy production on federal lands and waters.
Casten on Tuesday said he and Levin wanted to file the legislation before the end of the year so they could be prepared with a game plan on transmission when the opportunity arises.
“This is the right way to do permitting reform,” said Christy Goldfuss, chief policy impact officer at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “Too many want to steamroll communities and have these new projects repeat the environmental injustices of our past. That’s a dead-end road.”
Demands on the electricity grid continue to grow due to expansion of data centers with the rise in artificial intelligence, greater electrification of transportation and buildings, and more frequent and severe extreme weather.
Republicans and Democrats largely agree that more demand will strain the electric grid, which is unprepared to handle a heavier load. But, they don’t agree on the best way to address that issue.
Republicans in particular have worried the costs of more transmission build-out will fall on consumers in smaller and more rural communities. The Casten-Levin bill specifically seeks to empower communities to provide more frequent and substantive input into energy projects that affect their areas, including the build-out of transmission lines.
Window of Opportunity
“Our frustration at the end of the last term was that we had a window that cropped up to do permitting reform, and we didn’t have a vehicle,” Casten said.“You never know when those windows are going to open.”
“Our frustration at the end of the last term was that we had a window that cropped up to do permitting reform, and we didn’t have a vehicle,” Casten said.“You never know when those windows are going to open.”
Casten and Levin spent months lobbying their Democratic colleagues to offer feedback and support the final bill they will introduce today after circulating a draft bill in the spring.
The final legislation has more than 70 cosponsors and includes ideas from more than a dozen stand-alone bills.
The two Democrats had extensive experience working in the energy field before their arrival in Congress, with Casten running clean energy companies and Levin working as an environmental attorney.
Seeking Democratic Consensus
“It’s important we have a Democratic consensus position on clean energy,” Levin said on Tuesday.
“It’s important we have a Democratic consensus position on clean energy,” Levin said on Tuesday.
The lawmakers have said their bill will help realize the goals of President Joe Biden’s sweeping 2022 climate law (Public Law 117-169).
House Republicans moved quickly this year to pass legislation (H.R. 1) that would overhaul permitting by modifying federal environmental reviews, and expand domestic energy and critical mineral production. The House passed H.R. 1 in March, and parts were included in the debt-limit agreement (Public Law 118-5) signed into law in June.
Casten said they’ve talked to several Senate Democrats who are interested in shepherding a companion bill, although not specifically to Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) because he’s a “short-timer.” Manchin announced he wouldn’t seek re-election in 2024.
As for Republicans, Casten said he’s had “really good conversations privately and really depressing conversations publicly” about the legislation and need for more clean energy and transmission projects. He noted that Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise are both from Louisiana, a traditional fossil fuel state.
Levin agreed that public remarks from Republicans often seem like they are “trying to appease the fossil fuel industry” but that “behind closed doors,” lawmakers acknowledge that it’s important for the US to lead on clean energy.