Obama seeks funding to support renewable energy projects

Funding for federal agency expected to help promote the development of clean energy initiatives

President Barack Obama has requested funding for the Bureau of Land Management for the 2015 fiscal year. This would allow the agency to better manage the land that is under its jurisdiction while also making it easier for this land to be made available for renewable energy projects. The funding is meant to be an investment in clean energy while also addressing some issues concerning the logistics associated with clean energy projects and wildlife preservation.

President seeks out $1.1 billion in funding for 2015 fiscal year

The President has requested $1.1 billion for the federal agency. While this is approximately $5.6 million short of what the agency had received during the 2014 fiscal year, the funding could help the agency overcome some of the economic challenges it has been experiencing recently. The agency currently generates some $150 billion in economic activity annually and accounts for more than 750,000 jobs throughout the country. Without appropriate funding, the agency may be unable to operate as it has done for the past few years.

New energy projects slowed by cumbersome approval process

Many renewable energy projects must receive approval from the Bureau of Land Management because they are aiming to take place on land overseen by the federal government. The approval process is often criticized as cumbersome and slow, meaning that it can take years for new projects to finally begin actual development and move beyond the concept phase. The federal government has been eager to streamline the approval process in order to expedite the development of new energy projects. Funding for the federal agency may help accomplish this goal.

Energy plan helps boost focus on clean power

The U.S. currently boasts of an "all of the above" energy plan. This plan tasks that government with pursuing as many forms of energy as possible, including those relating to fossil-fuels. While the U.S. is expected to remain heavily focused on oil and other fossil-fuels, its new energy plan also has it investing heavily in the research and development of clean energies and technologies.