Manchin’s effort is the latest flashpoint in ongoing discussions over whether and how to speed up energy and other infrastructure projects.
His office described the bill’s introduction as “a starting point for upcoming conversations in the Senate.”
Provisions of the legislation include:
Time limits on environmental reviews and court challenges to projects
More authority for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to approve electric transmission lines
Approval of the Mountain Valley Pipeline
Requiring the president to designate 25 priority projects including those related to fossil fuels, renewables, minerals, electric transmission and carbon capture
Last year, the Senate voted on whether to attach the package as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. Though it had some bipartisan support, it did not pass.
Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, we’re Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.
California officials are urging residents to begin preparing for this summer’s wildfire season — which may be delayed due to this year’s abundant winter weather, but will arrive sooner or later.
Senate Energy Committee Ranking Member John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) castigated Interior Secretary Deb Haaland’s record on oil and gas leasing at a committee hearing Tuesday, accusing her of violating the law by not holding quarterly lease sales.
Utah earned the top spot in U.S. News & World Report’s Best States list this year. The Beehive State beat out Washington which has held the No. 1 ranking for the past two years.
Join ASME, the voice of 85,000+ engineers in the U.S. and worldwide, as we explore our nation’s clean energy and climate sustainability goals and the vital role of engineering in accomplishing them. Learn more.
What We’re Reading
News we’ve flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics:
The woman in the center of Biden’s climate aid puzzle (E&E News)
Is It a Lake, or a Battery? A New Kind of Hydropower Is Spreading Fast. (The New York Times)
The FCC Is Supposed to Protect the Environment. It Doesn’t. (ProPublica)
Maryland Embraces Gradual Transition to Zero-Emissions Trucks and Buses (Inside Climate News)
DeSantis signs sweeping anti-ESG legislation in Florida (Reuters)
On Tap
Upcoming news themes and events we’re watching:
The Senate is expected to vote tomorrow on a resolution to overturn the Biden administration’s pause on solar tariffs.
The Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on the budget for the National Park Service.
The Senate Budget Committee will hold a hearing titled “Who Pays the Price: The Real Cost of Fossil Fuels.”
The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a hearing on the budget for the Army Corps of Engineers and the implementation of the Water Resources Development Act.
House Democrats on Tuesday announced a secret plan to break through the partisan logjam that’s dogging talks over the debt ceiling and threatening a government default. Read more
