WASHINGTON, D.C. – December 04, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — The House, by a bipartisan vote of 249-174, passed H.R. 8, the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act, which includes two bipartisan energy infrastructure bills from the Committee on Natural Resources, H.R. 2295, the National Energy Security Corridors Act, and H.R. 2358, theElectricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act. Chairman Rob Bishop (R-UT) released the following statement:
“As the Obama Administration undercuts American energy security in Paris, the House today advanced a reform package to strengthen our energy position and ensure our domestic infrastructure keeps stride with our renewed energy capacity,” stated Bishop. “If we want to foster the energy resurgence and cement America’s energy leverage at home and abroad, we need to change the prescriptive standards of the past. This package makes those changes. It keeps us on a path forward, creates new export opportunities to grow the domestic economy and enables our abundant domestic supply to reach communities most in need.”
H.R. 2295, introduced by Reps. MacArthur (R-NJ) and Richmond (D-LA), streamlines the approval process for natural gas pipelines across federal lands to better serve American families and businesses.
“This bill will help to rein in out-of-control energy costs in the Northeast and bring our nations’ energy policy into the 21st century,” MacArthur said. “South Jersey residents should never have to choose between heating their homes and other key priorities like a quality education or affordable healthcare. My legislation will help to lower home energy costs, improve infrastructure and create good-paying local jobs, and will also ensure that natural gas pipeline construction meets rigorous environmental standards and requires thoughtful placement of pipelines.”
H.R. 2358, introduced by Reps. Zinke (R-MT) and Schrader (D-OR), improves the safety and reliability of the electric grid on federal lands reducing the threat of catastrophic wildfires and costly electricity blackouts.
“I am proud to have my bill, the Electricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act, included in H.R. 8. Currently, if a tree falls on a power line that is on federal land, utility crews must go through regulatory back flips just to remove it,” said Zinke. “This bill corrects the federal inconsistency and indecision that ties the hands of our local providers. It really should not take an act of Congress to remove a tree. Our co-ops, who service 40 percent of Montana, deserve far better, as do all Americans who need reliable electric service to keep their lights on.”
H.R. 2295 has been endorsed by: America’s Natural Gas Alliance, Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, American Gas Association, Gas Processers Association, American Petroleum Institute, Plastics Pipe Institute, and jointly by America’s Natural Gas Alliance and American Petroleum Institute.
H.R. 2358 has been endorsed by: National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, American Public Power Association, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Western Governors’ Association, and Edison Electric Institute.
