USA, California:

Assembly Natural Resources Committee Approves Proposed Geothermal Bill (Imperial Valley News)

For the second time in a week, a State Assembly committee has held hearings and passed Imperial Irrigation District-endorsed Senate Bill 1139 - proposed new legislation that would diversify California's energy portfolio by requiring energy retail sellers to procure 500 megawatts of electricity from baseload geothermal power plants in the next 10 years.

The Assembly's Natural Resources Committee approved the proposed legislation today, following a 6-2 vote. Earlier in the week the bill was approved by the Assembly's Utilities and Commerce Committee, 8-5; the Senate approved the bill in May.

Authored by Senator Ben Hueso (D-San Diego) and Assemblyman V. Manuel Pérez (D-Coachella), the bill will now be scheduled to be heard by the Assembly Appropriations Committee in August.

"We are very pleased to see this proposed legislation wend its way through the Legislature with success at this time," said Jim Hanks, IID Board President. "It really speaks to the true merits of the bill."

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