Interstate Electric Transmission Interference.

INTRODUCTION I. A CHANGING ENERGY LANDSCAPE A. TRADITIONAL ELECTRICITY REGULATION 1. The Regulatory Compact: State & Federal Involvement 2. Federalism and the "Bright Line" in Electricity Regulation B. THE UNFURLING [...]
State control over siting and permitting for various land use regimes is being used in some states to restrict the construction of interstate electric transmission lines. In a moment where the American electricity system is undergoing radical changes to the quantity and nature of its generation systems, transmission must advance to accommodate those changes. Much of the land with the highest renewable energy production potential is in the Midwest and Southwest, while demand is concentrated most heavily in large population centers away from those regions. This necessitates building transmission infrastructure connecting critical supply hubs to demand areas. However, state siting laws can restrict this important infrastructure development. This Note suggests both federal and state law remedies to incentivize additional transmission development.