FALLON, Nev. (AP) -- Nine Nevada counties are pressing Congress to repeal a provision in a federal appropriations bill that could cost counties in at least six Western states millions of dollars in lost revenues from geothermal activity.
Tim Josi of the National Association of Counties Western Interstate Region says the Energy Policy Act of 2005 gave counties a 25 percent share of geothermal revenues to deal with impacts of geothermal activity.
He says the recent passage of the 2010 Interior Department appropriations bill effectively redirects the county's share of geothermal revenues back to the federal government.
Geothermal production takes place in nine Nevada counties.
Sen. Harry Reid and Congressman Dean Heller have introduced bills to repeal the provision.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
NV counties fight for share of geothermal money