NDC Climate Change & Clean Energy Task Force Chair Applauds Administration for Efforts to Implement Bipartisan Permitting Reforms
The Council on Environmental Quality’s new rule implements the New Dem-supported provisions in last year’s Fiscal Responsibility Act and reflects the Task Force’s permitting reform priorities
Today, New Democrat Coalition Climate Change and Clean Energy Task Force Chair Scott Peters (CA-50) issued the following statement after the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) finalized its Bipartisan Permitting Reform Implementation Rule, building on the historic investments of the Inflation Reduction Act and the President’s Permitting Action Plan.
“Today, we applaud the Biden administration for taking critical steps to implement the bipartisan permitting reform provisions New Dems were instrumental in passing into law last June.
“As reflected in our Task Force’s permitting reform priorities, we strongly support the CEQ setting deadlines for environmental reviews, requiring a lead agency to coordinate across the government, and creating a unified federal review process. These actions will accelerate critical upgrades to electrical transmission and grid resiliency as well as the deployment of clean energy projects funded by the Inflation Reduction Act.
“While we applaud today’s progress, the job is not done. New Dems look forward to continued collaboration with the White House and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to take the actions necessary to further expedite the review process, tackle climate change, support communities harmed by environmental damage and extreme weather, and build the clean energy economy of the future.”
New Dems have consistently advocated for and advanced policies aimed at unleashing American energy independence and lowering emissions. Last week, the Task Force applauded the Department of Energy’s two rules to reduce regulatory hurdles for clean energy projects and accelerate getting clean energy onto the grid.
Last May, the Task Force released six key permitting reform priorities for efficient energy deployment to lower costs, enhance energy independence, and combat the climate crisis. When President Biden negotiated an end to the debt ceiling crisis with House leadership, New Dem permitting priorities were reflected in several provisions of the final bill.
Further, in April 2023, New Dems sent a letter to the Council on Environmental Quality calling for an increase in coordination on federal authorizations in siting electric transmission lines. The New Dem priorities laid out in this letter were soon incorporated into the White House’s Permitting Action Plan, and were later reflected in the Department of Energy’s proposed rule to establish a lead agency to streamline the permitting process.
Additionally, in December 2023, the Task Force endorsed a slate of 14 New Dem-led bills to address barriers to clean energy deployment for inclusion in any upcoming energy package.
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