[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 106 (Thursday, June 28, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1449-E1450]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  2008

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 20, 2007

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2641) making 
     appropriations for energy and water development and related 
     agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and 
     for other purposes:

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Chairman, I supported the Hinchey-Wolf amendment 
to the FY 2008 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill. This 
amendment would have established a one-year spending limitation with 
regard to the designation of National Interest Electric Transmission 
Corridors under section 1221 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. I 
supported this limitation amendment because section 1221 is a flawed 
provision of federal law, and the Department of Energy's implementation 
of the provision has enhanced concerns about the law rather than 
addressed them.
  Section 1221 of the Energy Policy Act grants the Department of Energy 
unprecedented siting and construction authority for transmission lines. 
While I strongly support the upgrade of our nation's transmission 
infrastructure and believe that states and the federal government need 
tools to make this happen, section 1221 goes too far. The provision

[[Page E1450]]

invites only illusory participation from the states--one year is much 
too short a timeframe for states to make any decision about 
transmission siting, much less the right one.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues to provide a realistic 
backstop for the federal government that gives the states time and 
flexibility to suggest alternatives. I hope that this Congress can 
advance a more balanced approach.

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