When 500 NGOs and companies come together expressing support for agricultural easements, it may be time to listen: one view on the benefit of flexible agricultural easements for renewable energy development. Read more…
“Department of Energy is offering up to $8.2 million for stakeholder teams to explore the viability of agrivoltaic systems for cattle grazing.” Read more…
Phase 2 of the NIETC designation process is underway: DOE announces 10 regional transmission corridors and invites public input. On the line: streamlined siting authority and access to $2 billion in direct loans through the… Read More »Initial List of High-Priority Areas for Accelerated Transmission Expansion in USA. May, 2024.
Maintain social license to operate, increase the capacity of your workforce, and access $250 billion in low cost DOE funding: Community Benefits Plans (CBPs) share benefits with project stakeholders while benefiting the project and developer.… Read More »How Utilities Can Mitigate Risks through Robust Community Benefits Plans. May, 2024.
The CEQ’s Phase 2 NEPA reforms revert back to 1978 regulations, emphasize that the “alternatives section is the heart of the environmental impact statement,” and introduce new uncertainty for the permitting process. Read more…
Wind farms, manufacturing and real estate development: the link between them is not what you think. The Berkley Center for Law, Energy, & the Environment reviews Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) across multiple sectors. Read more…
PennFuture publishes 100-page guide to local land use decision-making in Pennsylvania. Topics include: state and local land use laws, how public hearings and decision-making works, and tips for accessing and sharing information. Read more…
One way to increase the efficiency of the NEPA process is to avoid Environmental Assessments: BLM adopts existing categorical exclusions from the US Forest Service and Dept. of the Navy to expedite geothermal energy permitting. Read more…
Breaking: “Treating the public as ‘stakeholders’ rather than inconveniences” reduces risk during the permitting process. It may also help developers pass due diligence to secure project development insurance. Read more…
Four years after its establishment, New York’s Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) is averaging eight months to approve large-scale solar and wind projects. Can it do the same for transmission lines? Read more…