Lawmakers Nearing Deal On Permitting Reform

The Washington Post has reported that, "lawmakers are nearing a modest deal on overhauling the nation’s permitting process for energy projects as part of legislation to raise the debt ceiling..."

• According to WaPo, the deal would ease permitting for interstate electrical transmission lines and reform the 1970 National Environmental Policy Act to ease environmental regulation on energy and infrastructure projects.
• WaPo: "The people close to the talks cautioned that lawmakers have not agreed to any final deal on energy permitting, and that the contours of the emerging agreement could change in the fast-moving discussions."
• CNN reports that both Democrat and Republicans have a stake in permitting reform: "Republicans want more gas pipelines and fossil fuel projects, while Democrats and the Biden administration are focused on clean energy and electrical transmission needed to spur the country’s clean energy transition."
• If a final deal on permitting reform fails to include some provisions for clean energy, the White House may face more blowback from progressive Democrats. 79 House Democrats wrote to Dem leadership last week warning of "...ongoing attempts to attach... extreme proposals that gut our bedrock environmental and public laws to must-pass legislation...”