Manchin joins with top Energy Committee Republican on permitting reform legislation

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee has introduced bipartisan legislation to try to speeding up the lengthy permitting process for transmission lines, mining operations, oil and gas leasing and liquefied natural gas projects. 

“For far too long, Washington’s disastrous permitting system has shackled American energy production and punished families in Wyoming and across our country. Congress must step in and fix this process," said Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the committee's top Republican. "Our bipartisan bill secures future access to oil and gas resources on federal lands and waters,” , R-Wyo., ranking member of the committee." 

A top priority in the the bill  is to require the Interior Department to offer a certain amount of acreage for onshore oil and gas leasing every year and five offshore oil and gas leases from 2025 to 2029.

It also requires the Interior secretary to review federal coal leases within 90 days of receiving a request and accelerates the permitting of renewable energy projects. 

The bill’s co-sponsor, Sen. Joe Manchin, I-W.V., chairman of the committee, said the current permitting system is “outdated” and is stifling economic growth. Industry groups spoke highly of the bi-partisan measure, arguing that it will help facilitate energy development in the U.S. 

Manchin, recently switched from Democrat to independent. 

“In order for the American economy to compete on the global stage in the twenty-first century, we need to develop infrastructure projects that support the rising demand for energy,” American Exploration and Production Council CEO Anne Bradbury said in a statement. 

Anti-fossil fuel activists criticized the bill for facilitating further development of fossil fuels, which provide the bulk of energy consumed across the world. 

“Those who promote this kind of so-called ‘permitting reform’ claim that it’s necessary to accelerate the deployment of clean energy, but in truth this is nothing more than yet another attempt by fossil fuel industry boosters to give handouts for polluters at the expense of our communities and the climate,” said Mahyar Sorour, director of the Sierra Club Beyond Fossil Fuels program, in a statement.  

Beyond Fossil Fuels is a campaign that was infused with $1 billion from billionaire and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to fund an effort to block consumers from using coal and natural gas. 

Manchin had pursued permitting reform in 2022, and struck a deal with Democrats to vote in favor of the Inflation Reduction Act in exchange for their support on his permitting reform legislation, which ultimately failed to pass.