Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) blasted the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for its 2-1 party line vote today gutting Section 210 of the Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA):
“Today’s action by FERC is a senseless, partisan move to gut an absolutely crucial tool for promoting competitiveness and sustainable energy. With this party-line vote, FERC has proposed making qualifying facilities nonfinanceable, throwing up an insurmountable barrier of entry for clean energy generation across the country. What’s more, serious questions remain as to whether FERC even has the authority to take this action - questions for which I intend to get answers.
“I have publicly supported FERC taking action to solve some problems, such as the ‘one mile rule,’ but today’s vote solves nothing. Instead it is a step toward wholesale elimination of PURPA, which appears to be FERC’s goal. The FERC Commissioners need to realize that’s a decision for Congress - not them."
