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 Proponents of the Inflation Reduction Act are
ecstatic about the massive bill's pro-climate provisions, including tax credits
for clean energy and electric vehicles. But the real work to make clean energy
possible is still underway. If these tax credits are ever to be converted into
real clean energy projects, Congress will have to make real progress on
permitting reform. Thankfully, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin has a permitting reform
bill that could be the key to unlocking America’s clean energy potential.
The National Environmental Protection Act’s (NEPA) environmental review
requirements are an environmental disaster. Many clean energy projects get
caught up in review periods that last 4.5 years on average. Five offshore wind
projects were indefinitely delayed in 2020 due to permitting troubles. The Clean
Line Energy project, which would carry wind energy across much of the country,
has been stuck in permitting battles for years. These delays raise the costs of
clean energy and only hinder America’s fight against climate change.
Manchin's proposed reforms would streamline the creation of new clean energy
projects by reducing the amount of time they spend in the permitting phase. The
bill won’t be on the table until September, and the available details are still
sparse. Reports from the Washington Post, however, reveal that the bill includes
provisions to prioritize projects of “national importance,” set maximum
timelines for NEPA reviews, and limit litigation for energy projects.
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Environmental groups were quick to denounce these permitting reforms, claiming
they were an “attack” on environmental review, a process many environmentalists
see as their greatest asset. Many environmentalists view this bill simply as a
way for Manchin to push through fossil fuel projects in Manchin’s home state of
West Virginia, with special provisions in the bill for the Mountain Valley
Pipeline. These criticisms ignore the greater risk the environmental review
process poses to new clean energy development.
The National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) was a landmark win for
environmentalists in the 1970s. The law has been used by environmentalists for
decades to block environmentally destructive projects through environmental
impact statements (EIS) and environmental assessments (EA). EIS and EAs have
been used to slow down potentially harmful development projects by requiring
developers to outline potential environmental damages that may be incurred as
well as the remedies they will pursue. NEPA has remained largely identical since
the 1970s, which has created a major barrier to clean energy production in the
US.
Manchin’s permitting reform bill would limit the amount of time these reviews
can be litigated, ensuring projects are able to break ground.
If environmentalists are serious about the need for a clean energy transition,
then permitting reform must be on the table. America’s clean energy projects are
being stalled by an outdated and abused environmental review process. The best
reform may not look exactly like Manchin’s bill, but Manchin’s bill is a fine
place to start.
Elijah Gullett is a Young Voices contributor and the branch
leader for American Conservation Coalition’s Raleigh-Durham, NC branch.
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