Permitting reform is a hot topic in Washington, but it has to be done right.
The Dirty Deal proposed by Senator Joe Manchin last fall was a first attempt at permitting reform, but it was heavily slanted toward the fossil fuel industry. And now, H.R. 1 is a fossil fuel lobbyist’s dream. Permitting reform must benefit clean energy only. That means:
Require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to consider climate and environmental justice impacts, as well as climate benefits.
Respect bedrock environmental laws, with no rollbacks to community participation or environmental impact analysis.
Clean energy we need must not come at the expense of frontline communities and existing environmental laws.
Without transmission reform, we face little chance of meeting our clean energy goals. Congress must prioritize clean energy in permit legislation, and FERC must create federal guidelines on transmission planning to ensure grid planners across the country are preparing for the clean energy future. Thanks.
