Energy Permitting Reform Must Advance Climate Progress and Community Safeguards

(WASHINGTON – July 26, 2024) Senator Manchin and Senator Barrasso released the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024. Following is a statement from Amanda Leland, Executive Director of Environmental Defense Fund, in response:

“Getting more clean energy onto our grid is fundamental to addressing the climate crisis and delivering affordable, reliable and clean power to communities across the country. 

“This proposal would make meaningful improvements to unlock clean energy projects and build out a stronger power grid. Well-planned transmission, as the bill properly recognizes, would prevent blackouts amid more extreme weather and cut costs for consumers. The bill will accelerate needed transmission development in several important ways: first, it will require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to move forward quickly with strong requirements for interregional transmission planning, which has the greatest potential to link together distant areas to support clean energy and increase reliability; second, it ensures that transmission projects of national importance can receive federal review and support.

“While we welcome efforts to bolster a clean and reliable grid, we also have serious concerns about provisions in this bill that would increase fossil fuel pollution, harm communities’ health and limit public input. The bill increases oil and gas leasing, while at the same time limiting the government’s ability to minimize the impacts of fossil fuel development on nearby communities and the climate. It would also halt efforts by the Department of Energy to analyze the climate and economic impacts of proposals to export natural gas, requiring decisions without critical information about methane pollution in the LNG supply chain and the effects of such exports on efforts to transition to cleaner energy in markets across the globe. Further, this legislation would limit opportunities to seek redress or raise concerns for frontline communities. Permitting proposals drafted without meaningful consultation of frontline communities will not deliver the enduring and equitable change we need to transition to a clean energy future.

“We look forward to working with Members of Congress to make improvements to this bill and ultimately pass permitting and transmission reform legislation that supports clean energy development and safeguards communities from pollution.”