Bill accelerates permitting process for energy projects

The Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024 looks to put energy projects on a faster track.

Sens. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., and Joe Manchin, I-W.Va., ranking member and chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, introduced the bipartisan legislation (S. 4753) in July.

The legislation, which the committee advanced with a vote of 15-4, aims to strengthen American energy security by accelerating the permitting process for critical energy and mineral projects of all types in the U.S.

“Our bipartisan bill secures future access to oil and gas resources on federal lands and waters,” Barrasso says.

The bill, he explains, would increase the domestic production of minerals, end bans on natural gas exports, strengthen the electric grid and be “an urgent and important first step toward improving our nation’s broken permitting process.”

According to Manchin, the bill is a culmination of over a year of hearings in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and input from colleagues in both political parties.

“Ranking Member Barrasso and I have put together a commonsense, bipartisan piece of legislation that will speed up permitting and provide more certainty for all types of energy and mineral projects without bypassing important protections for our environment and impacted communities,” Manchin says.

A group of industry and issue experts, including from the National Association of Manufacturers, the Steel Manufacturers Association and the American Chemistry Council (ACC), voiced support for the legislation.

In a statement, the council says, “ACC applauds this newest permitting reform effort that expedites permitting for all types of federal authorizations for energy and mineral infrastructure projects, whether they are fossil fuel, critical mineral, innovative lower-emission technologies, hydrogen, transmission, storage and many more – all while strongly retaining important environmental and sustainability safeguards, and building out policies that will advance America’s economic and energy innovation goals and support industry’s efforts for a lower emissions future.”

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