Schumer eyes agency to bolster electricity goals amid permitting reform talks

As bipartisan lawmakers look for a compromise on provisions to speed up the build-out of the nation’s infrastructure, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is hoping that a federal agency may be able to carry out some of the changes his party supports.

Schumer, in a letter that was publicly released Monday, asked a panel of energy regulators to take up rules that aim to bolster the nation’s power lines. 

He specifically pushed for  the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to finalize a “strong” rule concerning planning and cost allocation for power lines and also to give the federal government more authority to approve new power lines. 

In a written statement accompanying the letter, he said, “I see an opportunity to build on our progress and deliver cleaner energy with lower costs for American families. The success or failure of this commission will be defined by how they address these critical transmission rules.”

His comments come as improving electricity transmission infrastructure has been a key goal for Democrats in bipartisan permitting reform negotiations. 

In these talks, Democrats have been pushing for more and better-connected power lines, which are necessary to get more renewable energy onto the grid. 

Meanwhile, Republicans are looking to make it more difficult for opponents to challenge projects once they have been approved, preventing states from blocking projects that run through their waters and generally bolstering fossil fuels. 

While a few GOP-favored reforms passed in a bill that raised the debt ceiling, it’s not clear whether or when a larger package may come together, although both sides have insisted that they want to do more through a compromise package. 

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee this week is slated to hold a hearing on the potential for changes to bolster electric infrastructure, pipelines and energy production on federal lands.

Currently, FERC is made up of two Democratic commissioners and two Republicans; there is one vacancy as another Democrat’s term has ended and he has yet to be replaced.