There is widespread agreement in Washington that one of the most important pieces of legislation Congress could pass this year is meaningful permitting reform. This would broadly target the federal approval process for all sorts of new energy and infrastructure projects including pipelines, transmission lines, highways, and even housing. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have insisted these types of projects have been hamstrung by lengthy environmental reviews and court challenges, making it difficult to deliver on campaign promises such as lowering electricity bills or winning the race for artificial intelligence.
Permitting reform has long been considered a “white whale” in Congress, and passing legislation focused on it would be a significant win for Republicans in both the Senate and House as they face an uphill battle to keep the majority come November.
Progress was made at the end of last year when the House passed the bipartisan SPEED Act, which would reform a decades-old law that requires federal agencies to evaluate the environmental effects of major actions and decisions relevant to their departments, such as permits or licenses required for projects including roads, data centers, and more.
