Renewable energy advocates hope a new directive from Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek will allow such projects to beat pending federal deadlines to receive government subsidies.
Kotek’s executive order authorizes nine natural resource agencies to adopt emergency rules and take other necessary actions to expedite solar and wind energy development.
It also contains a series of instructions specifically directed at the Energy Facility Siting Council to help accomplish that goal, including foregoing federal consultations if possible and contracting with third parties to process applications, and directs the Public Utility Commission to take steps that would shorten the timeline for connecting clean energy to the power grid, among other measures.
With how much is at stake for energy reliability and economic development, the order is likely to meaningfully hasten the permitting process, said Angela Crowley-Koch, executive director…
