Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, it was reported that permitting reform legislation that would accelerate the deployment of clean energy and critical minerals projects would not be included in the FY 23 National Defense Authorization Act. This omission effectively postpones the possibility for action on permitting reform into the next Congress and solidifies the lengthiness of permitting and constructing new U.S. critical energy infrastructure projects. We urge the 118th Congress to immediately address these issues, as effective permitting reform is in the nation’s best interest and is a major national security issue.
“An effective and timely transition to more secure, reliable and renewable forms of energy cannot take place without significant changes to the permitting and siting process,” said SAFE Founder and CEO Robbie Diamond. “Recently enacted legislation provides a trillion-dollar opportunity that is potentially being missed due to outdated rules that impede expansion of the nation’s electricity capacity and supporting infrastructure. It is disappointing that the Congress has not seized this potentially strategic opportunity to advance U.S. economic competitiveness and national security.”
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. These range from electricity transmission lines to extraction, processing, and manufacturing of battery minerals and components. Other technologically advanced democracies – along with several global competitors – manage to launch these projects in an environmentally sustainable way in a fraction of the time it takes within the United States.
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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.
