***LIVE WEBCAST AVAILABLE*** ADVISORY: Wyden to Chair Energy Subcommittee Hearing on Soda Ash and Geothermal Legislation
Washington, D.C. – At 2:30 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, August 3, 2011 U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests, will chair a hearing of that subcommittee to consider legislation to extend the royalty relief for soda ash and to expand geothermal energy production.
In order to help domestic producers of sodium dichromate (known as soda ash) -- a leading component in the manufacturing of glass products – compete with foreign producers benefitting from government subsidies and benefits, the Soda Ash Competition Act will extend the low royalty rate producers pay the government to extract soda ash from federal lands.
Also on the docket, the Geothermal Production Expansion Act will mitigate one of the barriers to more efficient geothermal energy production on Federal lands – the risky and inefficient process of matching leases with the search for geothermal “hot spots.” The legislation will allow for the expansion of already existing geothermal resources onto adjacent Federal property, at fair market value, without the delay of competitive leasing and without the risk of opening up the property to speculative bidders.
The following witnesses will be testifying before the hearing:
· Robert Abbey – Director Bureau of Land Management - Department of the Interior
· Thomas Tidwell - Chief - Forest Service - Department of Agriculture
· Mr. Edward T. Flynn - Division Manager FMC Corporation - Philadelphia, PA
· Mr. Scott H. Nichols - Manager, Lands and Permitting - U.S. Geothermal Inc. - Boise, ID
To view the live webcast click here.
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