A bipartisan group of US senators has reached an agreement to reform federal permitting laws for major energy and infrastructure projects, but a Senate vote on the measure will not take place until after the November mid-term elections, reported Reuters.
Lawmakers from both parties presented the deal on 30 October, highlighting their efforts to address long-standing delays that affect the construction of key projects such as transmission lines, data centres, mines, and renewable as well as fossil fuel energy installations.
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The legislation, titled the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act, is intended to accelerate federal approvals by imposing deadlines on environmental reviews and setting limits on court challenges.
It would require agencies to complete main reviews within one to two years and aims to streamline coordination between federal departments.
If enacted, it would also introduce new processes for approving transmission lines and upgrades, with specific provisions to support both onshore and offshore wind energy schemes.
Republican Senator Mike Lee, the Senate Energy Committee chairman, said at a press conference: “We are motivated by one central shared concern: we want to make it easier in America to build things.”
Senator Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican who leads the Environment and Public Works Committee, described the bill as “a major step toward making it faster and more efficient and easier to build infrastructure projects” while maintaining environmental safeguards, reported PBS.
Industry groups including the American Petroleum Institute (API) welcomed the proposed changes.
API president and CEO Mike Sommers said: “Washington has a generational opportunity to fundamentally transform a broken permitting system and help address the affordability challenges facing American consumers.
“Congress should seize this moment and finish the job – making it easier to build the infrastructure America needs and helping keep costs down for consumers.”
However, environmental organisations have criticised the bill for potentially weakening existing protections.
Conservation Law Foundation president Brad Campbell said that the bill “appears to adopt a fossil fuel industry wish-list” and could reduce clean water and endangered species protections.
The agreement follows renewed negotiation momentum after President Donald Trump indicated improved treatment for wind and solar energy projects in the proposed law.
Talks had previously stalled when the Trump administration suspended five major offshore wind farms in December, citing unspecified concerns.
