E&E News EnergyWire Quotes Locke Lord’s Ben Cowan on Proposed Permitting Framework for Wind and Solar Projects

Chair of Locke Lord’s Renewable Energy Section and Houston Partner Ben Cowan was quoted by E&E News EnergyWire on S.B. 624, proposed legislation that would create a new permitting and environmental review process specifically for wind and solar power plants. Permitting has been relatively simple for renewable energy developers in Texas and historically, Texas counties have had fewer siting restrictions and overall requirements for new energy facilities as compared to many other states, Cowan notes.

“The bill is aimed at protecting wildlife and natural resources from potential impacts associated with solar and wind, the bill is written in such a way that it would apply to existing projects as well,” he adds. “There’s no mention in the bill of impacts of other forms of generation or of oil and gas exploration. I’m not aware of any other states that have siting requirements strictly for wind and solar.”

Read the full E&E News EnergyWire article here.