WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Energy Committee Chairman Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) and Ranking Member John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) must heed the concerns of communities and conservation advocates before pursuing further action on their Energy Permitting Reform Act, which passed the committee on a divided vote.
 
“The intent of the Energy Permitting Reform Act is spot-on: We need to improve the process for deploying 21st century clean energy solutions. This bill puts forward needed fixes to our antiquated electric transmission system, so it can be ready for an influx of renewables. However, several other provisions, such as setting arbitrary deadlines for judicial review of fossil energy projects, could cause more harm than good to wildlife, people, and the environment,” said Abby Tinsley, vice president for conservation policy at the National Wildlife Federation. “We can and must address the immense and interconnected wildlife, climate, and environmental justice crises, but this bipartisan bill needs more work before we can support it in its entirety. Chairman Manchin, Ranking Member Barrasso, and members of Congress should continue working together on a proposal that listens to communities and experts and forge durable, bipartisan legislation that prepares us for the equitable, wildlife-responsible clean grid of tomorrow.”