Unclog The Pipeline: Making Permitting Reform Permanent

• Check out TEA’s new website for the latest energy news and opinion, sorting Common Sense from the Nonsense.
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• California Gov. Newsom doubles down on climate policy.
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• The EU will use Trump’s tariff fees to push a new fossil fuel deal.
• Dogs are now environmental villains, study says.
• Appeals court temporarily halts disbursement of contested climate funds.

The issue: This week, President Trump signed executive orders to unleash permitting technology for the 21st century.

Why it matters: He ensured the United States is leveraging modern technology to effectively and efficiently conduct environmental reviews and evaluate permits. This is supported by TEA’s common-sense energy agenda and its second point: bureaucracy and red tape are the enemies of energy security.

Last week, Trump issued an executive order promoting the use of clean coal technology as part of the energy mix.

Consider:

• This plan will guide agencies using technology to digitize permit applications, expedite reviews, enhance interagency coordination on projects, and give sponsors more transparency and predictability on project permitting schedules.
• This should also help agencies share information with state, local, and tribal officials to make permitting easier for project sponsors.

For example, the multi-state, 303-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline was held up for months due to opposition in Virginia. It was delayed due to legal, environmental, and unforeseen construction challenges. These issues, coupled with the complex permitting process, led to a significant increase in project costs and a protracted timeline.

We encourage state officials to begin adopting the ARC Energy Security Act at the state and local levels so that projects like MVP can be expedited rather than roadblocked by state and local laws in the future.

To that end, model legislation already exists thanks to the work of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and the Affordable, Reliable, Clean Energy Security Act. It must be discussed and voted upon in every state because it makes perfect sense.

Bottom line: The outdated permitting system makes it impossible to meet the nation’s growing demand for electricity. Trump’s EO is a step in the right direction.

The issue: America’s past leadership has obviously forgotten an important fact: energy independence is essential to America’s independence.

Why it matters: Our nation must remain energy independent for its good and that of its allies. Full stop.

Consider:

• America is the world’s economic leader and requires a massive energy supply to sustain growth and foster the freedom and prosperity that inspire people everywhere.
• American natural gas provides Affordable, Reliable, and Clean Energy Security that improves the environment while keeping us secure and independent. This legislation establishes clean standards for natural gas for ALL other affordable and reliable energy sources.

Media personality John Stossel offers some insight into what went wrong with this recent mining case study.

China just stopped shipping seven types of rare earth metals to the U.S. These minerals are used to make electric vehicles, military equipment, and tech products.

America has these minerals, but we ask why we don’t mine them here.

Stossel rightfully points out that we’re told we need more minerals for everything, especially “green” energy. Yet American regulators and environmental groups keep killing new mines.

Most Americans say energy independence is more important than fighting climate change.

Bottom line: As long as China controls the supply chain for rare earth minerals, the transition to renewables will weaken American energy security.

Nothing on the calendar for next week as Congress is on an Easter break!

“So, we are drilling, we are mapping, we are mining, and we’re building. That is part of how we get America back on track.”

— Interior Secretary Doug Burgum