Joe Barton: “In closing, let me simply say that the Energy Policy Act requires that you go through the State siting process first…”

“In closing, let me simply say that the Energy Policy Act requires that you go through the State siting process first, including going through the State court system first. If you have a problem there, you then have to get the Department of Energy to designate the particular corridor as an electric transmission corridor that's in the national interest. Then you go to the FERC, and then they go through a hearing process that then can be subject to the Federal court system. What's in current law is carefully crafted to protect States' rights, to protect the local community but also give the ability on rare occasions to get a transmission line built that needs to be built. I urge the defeat of the amendment.”