WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Scott Fitzgerald (WI-05) issued the following statements in response to the passage of three critical pieces of legislation this week: the Harnessing Energy At Thermal Sources (HEATS) Act, the Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act, and the Fire Improvement and Reforming Exceptional Events (FIRE) Act.
On the HEATS Act:
“America needs more dependable energy sources, and geothermal is an important part of that mix,” said Congressman Fitzgerald. “This legislation eliminates unnecessary delays, respects state permitting work already being done, and helps bring new energy online faster so Americans and businesses can benefit from lower costs.”
Background: This bill would exempt certain geothermal activities on state and private land from federal drilling permits to encourage energy production. This legislation supports American energy independence and helps lower costs for families by expediting the development of geothermal energy involving federal minerals on non-federal lands.
On the Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act:
“Federal buildings should be designed around efficiency, reliability, and the responsible use of taxpayer dollars,” said Congressman Fitzgerald. “This bill ends the one-size-fits-all ‘green’ energy mandate that unnecessarily drives up costs and delays the construction of federal infrastructure projects. This is a major step toward prioritizing taxpayer savings and protecting national security assets.”
Background: This bill repeals Section 433 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), which requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to revise federal building energy efficiency performance standards for new buildings and those undergoing major renovations. This legislation would improve grid reliability and save taxpayer dollars by repealing burdensome federal building mandates that require projects to meet arbitrary energy efficiency standards.
On the FIRE Act:
“States should have the ability to act early to reduce wildfire threats without being stopped by far-left climate policies,” said Congressman Fitzgerald. “This legislation supports practical prevention efforts, cuts dangerous red tape, and gives states the power to protect lives, property, and our natural resources.”
Background: This bill would amend the Clean Air Act (CAA) to clarify how emissions from wildfires, prescribed burns, and other exceptional events are used in federal air quality reviews. This would ensure that states are not punished for proactively working to reduce risks from wildfires.
