Efforts to push permitting reform in the US have seen a consensus develop in Congress around the need for political continuity — essentially, the establishment of a legal framework that would limit the scope for energy project approvals to be used as a political football by Republican or Democratic administrations. To smooth progress, the Trump administration indicated that it would take a more accommodating stance on approving renewables projects. In practice, however, it has continued to slow-walk most onshore wind and solar approvals, trade groups say. The Democrats are sticking with the negotiations for now, but tensions are mounting.