WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Representatives Steven Horsford (D-NV-04), Dina Titus (D-NV-01), and Susie Lee (D-NV-03) sent a letter expressing concerns to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum that the Department’s new policy is placing additional scrutiny on certain renewable energy sources. This action could put the stability of the energy grid at risk and raise utility rates in states that rely on solar power, like Nevada.
“We are concerned this memo is meant to intentionally hinder the deployment of renewable energy projects on our public lands, and we question its necessity, especially considering this memo only applies to wind and solar energy facilities rather than all forms of energy production. We are also concerned that the impacts of this memo extend beyond federal lands to any private project that requires approvals at the federal level, such as for transmission right-of-way permits, thus placing even more projects potentially at risk of either being delayed or cancelled altogether,” wrote the members.
As DOI implements this new policy, residential electricity rates have spiked across the United States – more than 30 percent on average since 2020 and almost double the rate of inflation in the past year. At the same time, President Trump ended or delayed 80,500 clean energy jobs, cancelled $24 billion for energy projects since May, and announced the termination of nearly $8 billion in clean energy investments in states that did not vote for Trump. Additional projects, including in Nevada, face increased uncertainty due to the Administration’s decisions.
“The United States is facing an impending energy crisis. Electricity demand is rising rapidly, yet the energy grid is unprepared. DOI’s July 15th memo does not “unleash energy dominance;” it weaponizes the permitting process against it. If the Department is serious about an all-of-the-above energy strategy, it must ensure that both traditional and renewable energy resources can be developed efficiently and responsibly,” concluded the Members.
The full letter can be found HERE.
Senator Rosen has been a strong supporter of Nevada’s clean energy economy. She helped pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, which have been making significant investments in Nevada’s clean energy economy and the jobs it supports. Senator Rosen has also been a strong supporter of Nevada’s solar industry, successfully leading the charge against solar tariffs that would have decimated the industry. Last year, she announced more than $13 million to fund the construction of a 5-MW solar power facility near McDermitt, Nevada.
###
