by Kyle Gillis – Nevada Policy Research Institute
Politically sponsored energy projects across the country that were funded with federal “stimulus” dollars also received preferential regulatory treatment over private-sector projects, Nevada Journal has learned.
Not only did the projects receive billions of taxpayer stimulus — “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” — dollars, but Congress mandated that federal regulators also usher the stimulus projects to the front of the regulatory line.
“Project No Project,” a recent report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, identified 351 energy projects nationwide that have been stalled due to various causes, including “activism, a broken permitting process and a system that allows limitless challenges by opponents of development.”
However, the Chamber report did not address the direct role of Congress in effectively moving private energy projects all across America to the back of the regulatory queue, behind the favored, but not shovel-ready, ARRA projects.
