Rep. Mike Levin Reintroduces Bill to Responsibly Expand Renewable Energy on Public Lands
Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Mike Levin (CA-49) participated in a hearing of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources to speak in favor of his bill H.R. 9012, Public Land Renewable Energy Development Act (PLREDA), which he reintroduced this month. The bill would help promote domestic energy independence by supporting the responsible development of wind, solar, and geothermal energy on public lands.
Rep. Levin’s bill is more comprehensive than House Republicans’ parallel legislation, H.R. 8954. H.R. 8954 includes an important policy to ensure that states and counties get a fair share of revenues from renewable energy projects developed in their communities, while providing the Bureau of Land Management with resources to process permit applications and directing some funds towards the conservation our great natural and cultural resources. However, it leaves out important provisions to better facilitate the responsible development of clean energy on public lands.
Rep. Levin’s PLREDA contains updates to H.R. 178, which he introduced in January 2023. Notable changes include updated revenue sharing provisions to generate additional funding for conservation work as well as changes to speed up wind and solar permitting while maintaining key environmental protections. The bill continues to promote programmatic land use planning for renewables and direct development towards non-sensitive areas, which will lead to a smoother and more efficient permitting process, provide confidence to developers, and ensure impacts to wildlife, habitat, and cultural resources are avoided or minimized.
“As we look to secure American energy independence while reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, it’s critical that we do everything we can to build out our renewable energy resources,” said Rep. Levin. “I’m glad the Republican leadership of the House Natural Resources Committee demonstrated a shared interest by bringing up H.R. 8954 for consideration, but there is still more work to be done. Not only can we foster the deployment of clean energy, but we can do so in a way that helps us remain good stewards of our public lands. My common-sense legislation accomplishes that, and I hope Committee leadership will consider the important policies I’ve put forth as H.R. 8954 moves through the legislative process.”
The following organizations have endorsed H.R. 9012: American Clean Power Association, Solar Energy Industries Association, The Wilderness Society, Natural Resources Defense Council, EDF Renewables, Trout Unlimited, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, and National Audubon Society.
“Increased clean energy deployment on federal lands can play a critical role in meeting our nation’s growing electricity demand,” said JC Sandberg, Chief Advocacy Officer, American Clean Power Association. “American Clean Power applauds Rep. Levin for introducing the Public Lands Renewable Energy Development Act, which will streamline permitting and encourage the development of new clean energy projects on federal lands. ACP supports this important bill and looks forward to working with Congress to advance it through the legislative process.”
"The federal government is the largest owner and manager of land in the American West. The West needs more renewable energy on federal lands to meet its growing energy demand affordably. We applaud the work of the House Natural Resources Committee and Rep. Levin to share more of the benefits of energy investments with local communities and to make permitting more efficient, all while heeding the imperative to conserve natural and cultural resources,” said Virinder Singh, Vice President of Regulatory and Legislative Affairs, EDF Renewables.
“Public lands and waters house massive wind, solar, and geothermal energy potential, and we’re pleased to see the subcommittee consider legislation that will invest renewable energy revenues in conservation and ensure communities stand to benefit from development. But to responsibly ramp up renewable energy projects on them, this legislation must also include provisions that prioritize engagement with communities and consultation with Tribes early and often about how these projects will affect wildlife, cultural resources, and critical habitats. Establishing strong guardrails and public processes that will steer development toward the lowest-conflict areas, while also investing in states, counties and conservation, will lead to faster, better projects,” said Justin Meuse, Government Relations Director at The Wilderness Society
“Hunters and anglers recognize the increasing demand for renewable energy development on public lands and it is our priority to ensure that these projects avoid impacts to fish and wildlife habitat. We thank Rep. Levin for his leadership on the Public Land Renewable Energy Development Act (PLREDA) which would incentivize the development of these projects on previously disturbed or degraded landscapes so that iconic species like mule deer and sage grouse can thrive on intact public lands without conflict. PLREDA would also direct 40% of the revenue collected from renewable energy projects on public lands into a new conservation fund for the benefit of fish and wildlife habitat as well as improved recreational access to public lands.” said Kaden McArthur, Government Relations Manager, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers.
“This bill is the culmination of extraordinary collaboration across parties and between industry and conservation groups to get the siting of clean solar and wind projects right on federal lands,” said Josh Axelrod, Senior Policy Advocate at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “It provides a path to directing development to low conflict areas, making permitting more timely and efficient, and returning revenues to states and counties where projects are located.”
“This important legislation sets bold new targets for responsible development of clean energy on our nation’s public lands while reinvesting in conservation to protect the habitat that birds need to thrive,” said Sam Wojcicki, Senior Director of Climate Policy at the National Audubon Society. “Two-thirds of North American bird species are at risk of extinction because of the climate crisis. We must act quickly to reduce emissions by investing in responsibly sited renewable energy and transmission and PLREDA strikes an important balance between unleashing the clean energy potential of our public lands and protecting birds, wildlife, and local communities. We thank Representative Mike Levin (D-CA) for his tireless leadership in combatting the climate crisis and for his work advancing PLREDA.”
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