Republican Rep. Andrew Garbarino of New York expressed disappointment Tuesday that House GOP leaders blocked his push to curb the Pentagon’s delay in processing wind project permits as part of the annual defense policy bill.
A proposed bipartisan amendment from Garbarino and Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) would have added language to the House’s National Defense Authorization Act mirroring wind-related text that Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) got included in the Senate’s version of the bill.
But Garbarino told POLITICO he’s still optimistic legislation to accelerate the Pentagon’s process for assessing the impacts that proposed wind projects could have on military operations will make it into the final NDAA, given bipartisan support for curbing administration efforts to stymie renewable energy.
“They need to get 60 votes, so I feel like they’ll have better luck,” said Garbarino, a moderate co-chair of the Climate Solutions Caucus, about prospects for the pro-wind language in the Senate. “I’m not saying [the Defense Department] should not review whether there’s an issue. I’m just saying that the issue should be based in fact.”
