One topic not getting enough oxygen in Washington is permitting reform. Even with President Biden tucking away in his Fiscal Year 2025 budget a nearly $1 billion request to fund updates to the permitting process, critics still argue this proposed reform isn’t big enough of a headline for congressional lawmakers up for election and, therefore, falls low on their to-do list. While presidential budgets rarely pass fully intact, this signals the executive branch sees the importance of getting some form of deal done and should be considered a negotiation opportunity for Republicans and Democrats to work out a plan that appeases both sides.
The irony with permitting reform is that it aims to solve for red tape holding up projects to deliver energy security but hasn’t been achieved because some bureaucrats … well, they are holding it up. Permitting reform actually caught a wave of attention in 2023 but was quickly sidelined by other urgent matters in Congress. Our domestic energy supply, however, is an urgent matter, and it cannot be secured until the United States’ burdensome approval process is overhauled so that we can begin to get major energy infrastructure projects underway.
Americans would greatly benefit from the removal of these obstacles in a multitude of ways. Domestic energy production would decrease costs, deliver more jobs and create greater investments in state and local economies. Our environmental goals would also be bolstered, as new and innovative energy production would reduce emissions, lead to cleaner air and water and protect our environment for generations to come.
Republicans have rightly raised the issue due to concerns about energy costs and a desire to bolster the U.S. economy. Republicans attempted to reform permitting last year, but efforts fell flat at the end of the year when government funding took priority. However, senators like Bill Cassidy, R-La., have recently emphasized the need to streamline permitting so that the Clean Air Act’s regulatory process is no longer “weaponized” as a means to hold up job creation and adoption of the latest clean energy technologies.
Democrats, on the other hand, have a vested interest in the environmental benefits of clean energy permitting reform. Senator Joe Manchin, D-W. Va., chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, introduced Building American Energy Security Act of 2023 last year with the same goal: speeding up the permitting process. In a statement, the Senator said, “[i]t is clear that without comprehensive permitting reform, we will never ensure lasting American energy security and independence and will delay progress on environmental goals.”
These lawmakers across the ideological spectrum can also likely agree that any money funneled into new energy projects should be spent wisely, and not caught up in the bureaucratic processes or unnecessary steps holding up developments.
At a time when heightened geopolitical tensions are disrupting oil access and pricing, U.S. energy independence is particularly vital. When the U.S. can better control the rate and means of domestic energy production, we will be able to boost our economy and advance our climate goals simultaneously.
Fortunately, there is a wide variety of ideas lawmakers are considering regarding permitting reform, with several bills on the issue before Congress right now along with the President’s budget vision to also consider. Time is running short, but lawmakers have the opportunity to continue to work together to make real progress on this vital issue this year. Waiting until after the November election risks jeopardizing any alliances forged and deals brokered. The time to act on this issue is now.
