The federal government’s plan to fast-track the building of new electrical transmission towers, intended to reduce the risk of regional blackouts, has been put on hold by an appellate court that sided with a coalition of states and environmental groups opposed to the effort.

 

As part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the Department of Energy has sought new electric transmission corridors through the Mid-Atlantic and Southwest regions—which required construction to take place across national parks and monuments, as well as other public lands and wildlife refuges. Unhappy with the way Energy officials were moving forward with the plans, 13 states, agencies and environmental groups filed a lawsuit to halt the project.

 

A panel of judges on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the Energy Department did not adequately involve the states in the planning process. The court also faulted the department for not preparing an environmental impact study for the proposed corridors.

 

The federal government now will have to start over and work more closely with the plaintiffs in order to get the new power lines built.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

Court Blocks National Park Power Line Plan (by Tim Hull, Courthouse News Service)

California Wilderness Coalition et al. v. Department of Energy (Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals) (pdf)