The House passed H.R. 8, the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act, which includes the language of H.R. 2929, the Supporting Home Owners Rights Enforcement (SHORE) Act. Congressman Robert Hurt (R-Virginia) introduced the SHORE Act in June, along with Congressman G.K. Butterfield (D-North Carolina), Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-Virginia), Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-Virginia), and Congressman Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma).
“I was pleased to see the SHORE Act pass the House today with bipartisan support as part of a larger effort to promote energy infrastructure, efficiency, and security,” said Congressman Hurt. “Excessive federal overreach continues to contribute to our stalled economic recovery, holding us back from the job growth we so desperately need. The SHORE Actwill help protect the private property ownership rights of individuals and small businesses so that overreaching federal regulations will not impede their ability to enjoy their private property, expand their businesses, and create jobs at a time when far too many Fifth District Virginians are out of work. I thank Congressmen Butterfield, Goodlatte, Griffith, and Mullin for their support, and it is my hope the Senate will expeditiously consider this legislation and send it to the President’s desk.”
“If you like your dock, you should be able to keep it. The inclusion of the SHORE Act in H.R. 8 will help protect the rights of property owners in the Commonwealth and throughout the nation, in a practical manner, from the harmful impacts of federal regulations,” said Congressman Goodlatte. “I urge the Senate to take up this legislation, and send H.R. 8, and this common sense provision, to the President’s desk.”
“While the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act is important legislation seeking to modernize federal energy policy, maximize our nation’s energy potential, and harness domestic resources, I am particularly pleased by its inclusion of the SHORE Act,” said Congressman Griffith. “The SHORE Act provisions would help to protect private property ownership rights from being impeded the sometimes arbitrary and capricious FERC regulations on the shores of our lakes.”
Background
- The SHORE Act will ensure that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) considers private property ownership rights when issuing a license or enforcement action over hydro-power projects at Smith Mountain Lake and other similar areas throughout the country.
- As it stands now, FERC is not required to even consider private property owners’ rights when issuing a license or enforcement action.
- A group of citizens in the Smith Mountain Lake area expressed concerns about the unnecessary burdens and costs to residents caused by FERC regulations that are significantly impeding their private property rights. The SHORE Act is a direct response to these concerns.