DOE Seeking Deadlines for Power Line Permits on Federal Land

The Energy Department is pursuing an agreement with other federal agencies to speed up permitting of electric transmission projects on federal land, US Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said Tuesday.

While Congress debates permitting reform legislation that could quicken the build-out of transmission lines, the department is using existing authority under the Federal Power Act to establish permitting deadlines for those projects, Granholm said.

• “We are in the process of writing an MOU [memorandum of understanding] with other land-use agencies—that is directed by the White House—to be able to accelerate permitting,” Granholm said during a meeting with her advisers. “The speed ...