New Dem Climate and Clean Energy Task Force Secures Victory for Clean Energy Deployment, Applauds White House for Incorporating New Dem Priorities Into Permitting Reform Agenda
Today, the Biden-Harris Administration released a Fact Sheet outlining their plans to accelerate the deployment of clean energy projects by reforming Federal permitting and environmental review processes. By leveraging existing permitting authorities along with new provisions included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which New Dems helped pass last year, we can tackle the climate crisis and advance the nation’s transition to clean energy. This announcement comes after New Dems sent a letter to the White House last month urging the administration to leverage Section 216(h) of the Federal Power Act to enhance America’s clean energy abilities by increasing coordination on federal authorizations and environmental reviews to site more electric transmission lines.
New Dem Climate Change and Clean Energy Task Force Chair Scott Peters (CA-50) and Vice Chairs Sean Casten (IL-06), Eric Sorensen (IL-17), and Susan Wild (PA-07) released the following statement about the plan:
“New Dems applaud the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to accelerate clean energy projects, including their Permitting Action Plan to speed up the permitting process by strengthening interagency communication, establishing clear timelines to improve efficiency and accountability, and streamlining the environmental review process to make it easier to navigate. These steps will speed up our work to rebuild our nation’s infrastructure and turbocharge the clean energy transition, while at the same time investing in our communities and creating good-paying jobs.
“We are also pleased by the White House’s announcement today of a new Memorandum of Understanding that fast-tracks electric transmission permitting by allowing the Department of Energy to exercise its full authority under Section 216(h) of the Federal Power Act. Last month, New Dems called on the White House to ramp up efforts to accelerate clean energy deployment, lower energy costs, and achieve our climate goals using Section 216(h).
“New Dem Members will continue working to pass a comprehensive permitting reform bill that further accelerates clean energy deployment by cutting duplicative and burdensome review processes, while granting agencies clear authority to issue permits for interstate transmission lines and mitigate environmental impacts.”
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