Federal Government Can Fast Track Green Energy Projects

The Department of Energy is taking public comments through this Monday for phase two of the proposed National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor or NIETC.  There are ten proposed NIETC’s across the country in 12 states, including North Dakota and South Dakota. Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins is calling for federal hearings due to the impact on farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. Hawkins said the Biden Administration’s push for green energy is a fundamental shift in the power sector. “We are seeing reliable sources of power generation go offline, coal and natural gas for instance, faster or more quickly than we are putting intermittent sources, i.e. wind and solar, onto the grid,” said Hawkins. “That is causing problems as we think about power generation and transmission. It means all of us as ratepayers are probably paying more when we flip on the lights.” This proposed corridor includes much of southwestern North Dakota and all but eastern South Dakota. Again, Monday is the deadline to submit public comments to the Department of Energy on this proposal.