Sen. John Barrasso - Ranking member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee | Official U.S. Senate headshot
Sen. John Barrasso - Ranking member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee | Official U.S. Senate headshot
The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board has expressed its support for the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024, a bipartisan piece of legislation introduced by U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR), and U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (I-WV), chairman of ENR.
In an editorial titled "Make Permitting Easy Again," published on July 30, 2024, the board highlighted the potential political advantages for former President Donald Trump if he endorses this bill. The editorial stated, "Donald Trump promises to roll back regulations, but how about streamlining Washington’s creaky permitting for new projects?" It pointed out that the lengthy and costly process required to initiate infrastructure or energy projects is a significant obstacle to American growth.
The editorial cited an example: "See the 12 years it took to get permits to start construction on a transmission line to bring hydropower from Canada to New York City." The board suggested that Mr. Trump could gain an edge over Vice President Kamala Harris by supporting this new bipartisan initiative in the Senate.
The proposed legislation aims to build upon reforms included in last year's debt-ceiling deal. It seeks to establish a 150-day statute of limitations for challenging agency approvals for energy and mineral projects, which would provide more legal certainty for project developers.
For further details, readers are encouraged to access the full story on the Wall Street Journal's website.
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