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U.S. Representative Raul Griljalva said on Monday that 77
Democrats in the House have signed a letter to Speaker of the
House Nancy Pelosi opposing the measure, a side deal that
clinched Manchin's support for the Inflation Reduction Act that
President Joe Biden signed last month.
The tally was up from 72 signatures last week.
The letter said provisions in the permitting bill will "allow
polluting manufacturing and energy development projects to be
rushed through before the families who are forced to live near
them are even aware of the plans."
It would also "restrict public access to the courts to seek
remedies against illegal project development" and weaken the
Clean Water Act, the letter said.
The Democrats urged Pelosi to keep the legislation out of a bill
to temporarily fund the government through mid-December, or any
other must-pass legislation. That bill, known as a continuing
resolution, must get 60 votes in an initial vote likely this
month in the 50-50 Senate.
The issue illustrates a divide among Democrats ahead of the Nov.
8 midterm elections in which the party hopes to keep control of
Congress. The White House, Senate Leader Chuck Schumer and
Pelosi have indicated support for the permitting bill.
Independent Senator Bernie Sanders, who aligns with Democrats,
said last week he opposes the "disastrous" side deal "that the
fossil fuel industry is pushing to make it easier for them to
pollute the environment and destroy the planet."
Senator Shelley Moore Capito, a Republican from West Virginia,
introduced her own energy-permitting bill on Monday. It would
speed approval of Equitrans Midstream Corp's long-delayed, $6.6
billion, West Virginia-to-Virginia natural gas Mountain Valley
Pipeline within 21 days of enactment.
Senator Richard Shelby, also a Republican, said he did not know
if a permitting bill could be attached to the funding bill but
Capito's legislation could be a "worthy alternative."
(Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and
Himani Sarkar)
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