(Idaho Statesman)
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| 1st Congressional District Rep. Raul Labrador |
It was Labrador's first legislation to pass the House.
The Labrador amendment would streamline the permitting and approval process for geothermal projects, and require the removal of surface infrastructure used during geothermal exploration.
Said Labrador, R-Idaho: “My amendment establishes a common-sense, streamlined policy for the development of clean geothermal resources that will create jobs and provide American families increased access to affordable energy. ... The annual operating costs for generating this abundant heat are essentially zero.”
The bill and the amendment now head to the U.S. Senate.
Here's the Labrador news release:
The “Exploring for Geothermal Energy on Federal Lands Act” (H.R. 2171), sponsored by Congressman Raúl Labrador (ID-01), passed the U.S. House of Representatives today by a bipartisan vote of 244-176. It passed as an amendment to H.R. 3408, or the “Protecting Investment in Oil Shale the Next Generation of Environmental, Energy and Resource Security (PIONEERS) Act,” sponsored by Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05), which also passed by a vote of 237 to 187.
“My amendment establishes a common-sense, streamlined policy for the development of clean geothermal resources that will create jobs and provide American families increased access to affordable energy,” Congressman Labrador said. “My home state of Idaho has a unique history of developing geothermal energy. I served in the Idaho Legislature, where our 100-year-old Statehouse is heated entirely with geothermal energy, as are many downtown Boise office buildings, both old and new. The annual operating costs for generating this abundant heat are essentially zero.”
The “Exploring for Geothermal Energy on Federal Lands Act” passed the House Committee on Natural Resources with bipartisan support in the summer of 2011. The legislation, if passed by the U.S. Senate and signed into law by President Obama, would include Congressman Labrador’s amendment that would:
The bill and the amendment now head to the U.S. Senate.
Here's the Labrador news release:
The “Exploring for Geothermal Energy on Federal Lands Act” (H.R. 2171), sponsored by Congressman Raúl Labrador (ID-01), passed the U.S. House of Representatives today by a bipartisan vote of 244-176. It passed as an amendment to H.R. 3408, or the “Protecting Investment in Oil Shale the Next Generation of Environmental, Energy and Resource Security (PIONEERS) Act,” sponsored by Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05), which also passed by a vote of 237 to 187.
“My amendment establishes a common-sense, streamlined policy for the development of clean geothermal resources that will create jobs and provide American families increased access to affordable energy,” Congressman Labrador said. “My home state of Idaho has a unique history of developing geothermal energy. I served in the Idaho Legislature, where our 100-year-old Statehouse is heated entirely with geothermal energy, as are many downtown Boise office buildings, both old and new. The annual operating costs for generating this abundant heat are essentially zero.”
The “Exploring for Geothermal Energy on Federal Lands Act” passed the House Committee on Natural Resources with bipartisan support in the summer of 2011. The legislation, if passed by the U.S. Senate and signed into law by President Obama, would include Congressman Labrador’s amendment that would:
- Improve regulations that impede geothermal exploration by granting approval for projects that do not require the construction of new roads or the use of off-road motorized vehicles, ensuring minimal environmental damage.
- Protect the environment by requiring the removal of any surface infrastructure during geothermal exploration, minimizing surface impact.
- Set firm deadlines for permitting to occur, providing geothermal companies with certainty to make appropriate business decisions.