Nick Sobczyk, Jeremy Dillon, and Kelsey Brugger of E&E News report on the progressive resistance to permitting reform.
- Sen. Bernie Sanders and other progressive lawmakers are opposing any permitting reform that could be included in must-pass funding legislation.
- The group believes that streamlining the permitting process under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) would only benefit fossil fuel production when in reality it would help every source of energy.
- NEPA’s inefficient process delays projects by an average of 4.5 years and is hamstringing clean energy growth in the U.S.
- If Sanders is serious in his wanting to address climate change, he must look to reform and modernize NEPA.
“Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) struck a deal with Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chair Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) in July to pass the permitting overhaul in exchange for Manchin’s vote on the Inflation Reduction Act, Democrats’ sprawling climate, health care and tax law. Their plan is to attach it to the continuing resolution, the must-pass stopgap spending measure to keep the government open when the fiscal year ends Sept. 30.”
Read the full article here.
The views and opinions expressed are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of C3.
