US lawmakers agree on bipartisan energy permitting reform bill

After over a year of hearings and debates, US senators Joe Manchin and John Barrasso have reached an agreement on a bipartisan legislation aimed at accelerating the leasing, permitting and judicial review for critical energy -- both renewable and fossil fuel, and mineral projects of all types in the US.

Among the primary provisions of the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024 released on Monday is a 150-day statute of limitations to seek judicial review of an agency action granting or denying an authorisation for an energy or mineral project. The bill also envisages a 180-day deadline for federal agencies to act on remanded authorisations.

The bill also envisages improvement of renewable energy coordination on federal land with a subsection setting a new goal for the secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to authorise 50 GW of renewable energy on federal land by 2030.

Apart from speeding up the leasing and permitting decisions for offshore energy and minerals projects, the agreed text also requires the Secretary of the Interior to hold at least one offshore wind lease sale and one offshore oil and gas lease sale per year from 2025 through 2029. For wind power in particular, the Secretary is also required to establish a national goal of 30 GW for offshore wind energy production, set a target for achieving that goal and periodically revise it as necessary.

In terms of the electric transmission, the bill introduces an interregional planning requirement that ensures regions jointly address needs; and a process that allows individual applicants to propose national-interest projects.

Another accent in the bill is hydropower, allowing license extensions.

“The United States of America is blessed with abundant natural resources that have powered our nation to greatness and allow us to help our friends and allies around the world. Unfortunately, today our outdated permitting system is stifling our economic growth, geopolitical strength, and ability to reduce emissions,” said Manchin who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

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