Washington, D.C. – Today, Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) released the text of a legislative agreement with Senate Democratic leaders that would revise the Federal permitting and siting process to support the transition towards an electrified future.
SAFE has consistently advocated for responsible reforms to accelerate construction of new infrastructure and production of materials to end America’s overdependency on oil for transportation. Changes to the permitting processes are needed now to reap the benefits of new funding for cleaner energy, electrification infrastructure, and semiconductor manufacturing provided by recently enacted legislation (IRA, IIJA, and CHIPS).
These range from electricity transmission lines to extraction, processing, and manufacturing of battery minerals and components. Other technologically advanced democracies – along with some global competitors – manage to launch these projects in an environmentally sustainable way in a fraction of the time it takes within the United States.
“Transitioning to more secure, reliable and renewable forms of energy – that do not leave us beholden to Saudi Arabia or China – requires a major upgrade in America’s capacity to produce and distribute electrical power,” said SAFE Founder and CEO Robbie Diamond. “There is a trillion-dollar opportunity that should not be missed on account of cumbersome and outdated permitting rules. What’s needed is a more agile but still vigorous process that doesn’t drag feet or cut corners. We call on Democrats and Republicans to get together to pass these sensible reforms. We cannot let politics, ideology, or perfection be put ahead of U.S. economic competitiveness or national security.”
The details of the legislative text are still being assessed but its overall direction will help balance the imperative of industrializing for an electric future while adhering to high environmental standards.
###
Contact: Bridget Dunn | 202.539.7885 | bdunn@secureenergy.org
About SAFE
SAFE is a non-partisan, non-profit policy thought leadership organization dedicated to accelerating the real-world deployment of secure, resilient, and sustainable transportation and energy solutions of the United States, and its partners and allies, by shaping policies, perceptions and practices that create opportunity for all.
