USDA–New Rules for Energy Projects on Forests, Farmland, Effective Immediately

More new rules from the USDA, to help protect American farmland from potentially disruptive and wasteful energy projects.

  New USDA Memorandum requires much more study

USDA Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins has rolled out a new memorandum that will create new screening criteria for energy projects, and farmland could be included.

According to the USDA:

"The Memorandum instructs the U.S. Forest Service to develop new screening criteria that measure and prioritize the amount of energy produced per acre of land while ensuring projects are consistent with environmental stewardship, multiple-use principles, and economic benefits for rural communities."

Projects with the least disruption, highest energy creation potential, and most benefit to their regions will receive the highest priority.

The plan is also designed to strongly examine how much foreign investment and control are in these energy plans.  Over the last decade, foreign interests have dumped millions, if not billions, into widespread energy projects that have disrupted both US forest lands and farm land.  One of these such projects is the Scout Energy Horse Heaven Hills wind farm proposed for the Tri-Cities area.

Their parent company is Brookfield Asset Management, a Canadian company.

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According to the USDA and Secretary Rollins:

"For too long, misguided federal subsidies and policies have pushed unreliable energy projects that waste taxpayer dollars. Those days are over."