US Interior Department Sets Renewable-Energy Goals With Western States

The Obama administration, as part of its Climate Action Plan for reducing carbon-based pollution and creating clean-energy jobs, announced a plan to partner with western US states in developing renewable-power projects including two newly approved transmission lines, Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell said in a release.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The plan will “encourage the development of renewable power, efficiently deliver that electricity to market, and meet growing consumer demands for clean energy,” Tuesday’s release quoted Jewell as saying.

The two transmission lines were “developed in consultation with several states [and] will distribute up to 4,500 megawatts of renewable power across the Mountain West, Desert Southwest and California,” the Interior Department release said.

Under a memorandum of understanding Jewell signed with California Governor Jerry Brown, the federal agency and the most-populous US state will work to help develop renewable-energy projects in a timely manner, the release said.

“These initiatives will generate thousands of construction and operations jobs, cut carbon emissions by millions of tons, and help Western states meet their renewable-energy goals,” Jewell said.

The agreement with California sets goals for developing renewable energy onshore and offshore, the release explained. It added that a high priority was put on projects in areas where the environmental impact of development will be limited and existing transmission systems can be used.