President-elect Donald Trump has announced that he will expedite federal approvals for major energy and infrastructure projects worth over $1 billion. However, this proposal could face significant obstacles, including legal and regulatory challenges, particularly from a key law that mandates federal agencies assess the environmental consequences of major undertakings before granting approval.
On Tuesday, Trump shared a statement on his Truth Social platform, revealing that any project with an investment of at least $1 billion would receive “fully expedited approvals and permits, including, but in no way limited to, all Environmental approvals.”
“GET READY TO ROCK!!!” he added enthusiastically.
Although Trump did not clarify which projects would qualify for the fast-tracked permits, many proposed energy developments, such as natural gas pipelines, export terminals, solar installations, and offshore wind farms, meet the $1 billion investment threshold.
Environmental groups swiftly condemned the initiative, arguing that it is unlawful and infringes on the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a 54-year-old statute that requires federal agencies to evaluate the potential environmental effects of projects and consider alternative options.
“Trump is unabashedly and literally offering to sell out America to the highest corporate bidder,” said Lena Moffitt, the executive director of Evergreen Action, an environmental organization. She criticized the proposal as “obviously illegal” and an example of Trump prioritizing corporate interests and polluters at the expense of the public, which she argued would lead to increased pollution, higher costs, and fewer energy options for Americans.
Alexandra Adams, the chief policy officer at the Natural Resources Defense Council, cautioned that Trump’s plan could have unintended consequences.
“What if someone wants to build a waste incinerator next to Mar-a-Lago or a coal mine next to Bedminster golf course?” she questioned, referring to Trump’s properties in Florida and New Jersey.
Adams emphasized, “There’s a reason Congress requires the government to take a hard look at community impacts to make sure we don’t greenlight projects that do more harm than good. Cheerleading on social media doesn’t change that reality,” she said.
Kevin Book, an energy analyst, commented that Trump’s social media post reflected his signature showmanship. Nonetheless, it also highlighted a widespread bipartisan desire to reform permitting processes for energy projects that currently face long delays.
“The substance here is he is really serious about trying to get permitting reform done,” said Book, managing partner at ClearView Energy Partners, a research firm based in Washington, D.C.
Book explained, “Permitting delays are an impediment in many sectors — including energy — and there are multiple billion-dollar investments waiting for permitting reform.”
A proposal supported by Senate Energy Committee Chairman Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, the committee’s top Republican, seeks to accelerate approvals for large energy and mineral projects. However, its chances of passing in the final weeks of the current Congress are uncertain.
Manchin and Barrasso argue that the proposal would boost energy projects, lower costs, create domestic jobs, and help the U.S. maintain its position as a global energy leader.
Critics, however, contend that the bill would open vast public lands and waters to oil and gas drilling and reduce the scope of executive and judicial oversight.
“Checking off wish lists for oil, gas and mining companies is not permitting reform,” said Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona, the leading Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee. He called the proposal “a dirty deal” that would allow some oil and gas projects to bypass federal review and permit mining companies to dump more toxic waste onto public lands.
Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Trump, declared that a second Trump term would usher in a “golden age of regulation-cutting,” including a commitment to “drill, baby, drill.”
“If you want to bring in money, he’s going to move heaven and earth to get that money in the door and get it invested in the United States,” Miller said on Tuesday at a Wall Street Journal conference.
Miller noted that the plan is intended for both domestic and foreign investments: “He wants to get the money and he wants to get the regulations cut and get the economy moving again.”
In the short term, Trump’s announcement may delay efforts to reform permitting laws this year, according to Book, as Republicans may prefer to hold off until next year, when they will control both the White House and Congress. Nonetheless, the issue is likely to resurface early in the new year.
{Matzav.com}
