Las Vegas NowNevada legislature work to overcome hurdles to renewable energy development
Associated Press - May 15, 2009 10:25 PM ET
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) - As lawmakers rush through the final weeks of their 2009 session, they're working out details on several bills to help Nevada overcome obstacles to realizing its full potential as a renewable energy leader.
The state lacks transmission lines to connect northern and southern power grids, a critical piece of infrastructure needed to export energy to California and other states.
And since 86% of the state is federal land, the process for leasing and developing land is more cumbersome.
AB522, heard in Assembly Ways and Means on Friday, would help streamline the process by creating a state energy commissioner to help developers work with the federal Bureau of Land Management and collect information about the companies to ensure they meet requirements for tax abatements.
SB358, sought by Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, D-North Las Vegas, also seeks to streamline the process, and would offer more generous tax abatements.
Horsford's "green jobs" initiative, SB152, would use federal stimulus money to create renewable energy jobs. Horsford's bills also address building transmission lines and training a work force.
Gov. Jim Gibbons proposed SB395, which also proposes to abate property taxes of renewable energy producers.
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