Last week, Business Roundtable Smart Regulation Chair Lynn J. Good, Chair, President and CEO of Duke Energy, and Business Roundtable Infrastructure Chair Brendan Bechtel, Chairman and CEO of Bechtel, published an op-ed in RealClear Energy, urging Congress to advance bipartisan permitting reform for energy infrastructure projects. Good and Bechtel make the case that “successful permitting reform will unlock America’s full potential, make the U.S. an energy powerhouse and help address climate change. All while ensuring that we continue protecting the environment.”
America Needs Permitting Reform to Reduce U.S. Reliance on Foreign Energy, Build New Infrastructure & Combat Climate Change
By: Lynn Good and Brendan Bechtel
Read the full op-ed online HERE.
Excerpts:
“With passage of H.R. 1, the Lower Energy Costs Act, the House of Representatives launched the opening salvo for permitting reform this Congress. Business Roundtable applauds this action and encourages the Biden Administration and the Senate to engage in discussions to get meaningful, bipartisan permitting reform done. …
“Recent congressional action on infrastructure and energy demands planning, permitting and building an unprecedented amount of new infrastructure within the next decade. …
“Unfortunately, the permitting process remains a labyrinth of red tape, costly delays and litigation. … For our nation’s most complex projects, the permitting phase will often far exceed the amount of time spent actually in construction. These delays undermine U.S. economic growth and competitiveness by increasing the appeal of investing abroad where projects can be built quickly and risk is lower. Now is the time for policymakers to take bold, bipartisan action. …
“If we’re going to advance the energy transition, the permitting process needs to be nimbler and better resourced. Timeliness is an enabler to our collective energy supply leadership, and it can be improved significantly – and it can be done while ensuring we’re protecting the environment. …
“Business Roundtable, the voice of America’s CEOs, welcomes House passage of H.R. 1 and urges Congress to work together on a bipartisan path forward. Permitting reform will result in a more modern, efficient process and ensure a cleaner, more secure energy future while supporting economic growth and American jobs.”