(Reuters) -The Trump administration said on Thursday that decisions related to solar and wind energy facilities on federal lands will be reviewed by the office of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to end what it says has been preferential treatment for the renewable energy sources.
The elevated scrutiny is aligned with President Donald Trump’s pledge to undo the clean energy and climate change policies of his predecessor, former President Joe Biden.
In a statement, the Interior Department said the additional reviews would apply to rights-of-way, leases, construction and operations plans and other project permitting activities.
Most solar and wind facilities are built on private land.
“Today’s actions further deliver on President Trump’s promise to tackle the Green New Scam and protect the American taxpayers’ dollars,” Acting Assistant Secretary for Lands and Minerals Management Adam Suess said in a statement. “American Energy Dominance is driven by U.S.-based production of reliable baseload energy, not regulatory favoritism towards unreliable energy projects that are solely dependent on taxpayer subsidies and foreign-sourced equipment.”
(Reporting by Nichola Groom)
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