What happened
A bipartisan Senate energy bill, known as the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act, has been introduced to prevent any administration from blocking permits for an entire class of energy projects. This means that no administration can stop all solar, wind, or other classes of energy project permits without facing legal action and fines.
The bill includes provisions such as expedited judicial review, which would allow opponents to file a lawsuit challenging a permitted project within 150 days. It also raises the threshold for pulling permits, creates a new cause of action for developers facing discriminatory permitting decisions, and sets enforceable deadlines for federal permitting decisions.
The bill has received support from various industry leaders, including the president and CEO of pipeline operator TC Energy, who stated that reforming the permitting system is the most impactful thing Congress can do to provide affordability relief to consumers. The American Gas Association President and CEO also expressed support, saying that streamlining the permitting process will help accelerate the development of critical energy infrastructure.
The bill aims to address issues with the current permitting process, which can be lengthy and costly. According to the Pacific Legal Foundation, permitting under the National Environmental Policy Act takes more than 500 days on average. The bill's reforms to the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act are expected to help projects move forward more quickly.
