A team of state legislators, federal agency representatives and other key stakeholders has nearly completed work on an electric transmission line siting compact. The compact is intended to serve as a policy option for state policymakers and is designed to improve interstate transmission line siting.
The Council of State Governments (CSG), through its National Center for Interstate Compacts, convened the panel, co-chaired by North Dakota Rep. Kim Koppelman, a past national chair of the CSG, and Kansas Rep. Tom Sloan, a past chair of the CSG's Energy and Environment Task Force.
“This compact has the potential to allow for cooperation between state legislators, state regulators, regional transmission operators, the Department of Energy, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and other involved stakeholders,” says Koppelman. “I believe it represents a significant step and will allow all involved parties to work together to more efficiently and effectively site interstate transmission lines.”
The compact is intended to improve efficiencies and create standardization during the siting process by establishing common applications, predetermined timelines and uniform public comment periods. Such an agreement, and its requirements, would be triggered on an ad hoc basis and pertain only to those states that are both members of the compact and impacted by the proposed line, the CSG explains.
The compact was drafted with the Energy Policy Act of 2005 in mind. Title XII, Subtitle B, Section 1221 of the act granted the “consent of Congress for three or more contiguous states to enter into an interstate compact facilitating siting of future electric transmission facilities.”
“I am pleased that CSG is taking the lead to meet the congressional recommendations that states collaboratively develop interstate transmission siting procedures,” says Sloan. “One of my objectives as co-chair of the drafting team has been to include other interested parties to promote transparency and wide-ranging feedback and input.”
