Bipartisan senators say they are closer than ever to a bill speeding energy-project permits, but voter opposition to local data centers and Democrats’ concern that the Trump administration could still block wind and solar projects are holding up progress.
Democrats worry that changing permitting law may not help renewables if the White House continues blocking projects in practice. Trump has signaled he would stop blocking renewable projects to win support, but Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said Democrats need more clarity on what a return to “regular order” for wind and solar would mean. Politico reported senators plan to finish the bill after the midterms. Separately, the House passed a bill urging, but not requiring, states to make data centers pay for their own electricity generation. It is stalled in the Senate, where some Democrats say it is too weak.
The draft has not been made public. Stakeholders expect it to narrow the environmental and social effects federal agencies must consider, loosen Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act requirements that delay transmission-line and pipeline permits, and make issued permits less vulnerable to lawsuits. The changes could speed both renewable and fossil-fuel projects. Environmental groups including the Natural Resources Defense Council want faster renewable development without weakening core protections, and have called for land-use plans that ease siting while protecting local ecosystems.
