ICYMI: Biden-Harris Administration Delivers on Permitting Progress to Build America's Infrastructure and Clean Energy Future Faster, Safer, and Cleaner

The Biden-Harris Administration has taken aggressive action to accelerate project permitting and environmental reviews. As part of the Administration's all-of-government effort to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of federal permitting processes, yesteday the White House Council on Environmental Quality finalized a rule to reform and simplify the federal environmental review process while ensuring strong environmental protections, robust community engagement, and better coordination with states, Tribal Nations, and local governments. This builds on the Administration's progress toward accelerating the federal permitting process, ensuring that industry can move forward with key investments and projects, including building out clean energy and transmission, while also being responsible stewards of the environment and protecting communities.

See coverage below:

The New York Times: Biden Administration Moves to Speed Up Permits for Clean Energy
[Coral Davenport, 4/30/24]

The Biden administration on Tuesday released rules designed to speed up permits for clean energy while requiring federal agencies to more heavily weigh damaging effects on the climate and on low-income communities before approving projects like highways and oil wells. The rules announced Tuesday could help to more quickly carry out Mr. Biden's signature climate law, the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which includes at least $370 billion in tax incentives to expand renewable energy, such as wind and solar power, as well as electric vehicles.

Reuters: US reforms environmental law to speed up clean energy, infrastructure approval
[Timothy Gardner, 4/30/24]

The White House on Tuesday reformed the U.S. environmental review process for major projects that officials said would speed up approval of anything from power transmission from wind and solar farms to semiconductor manufacturing. It also creates ways for agencies to establish the fastest and most common form of environmental review, known as categorical exclusions, such as for transmission lines in areas where the land has already been disturbed and does not require more clearing of trees and habitats.

E&E: Biden revamps permitting in boost for clean energy
[Kevin Bogardus, 4/30/24]

On Tuesday, the White House finalized its "Phase 2" revisions for the National Environmental Policy Act's regulations, which top officials believe will speed up permitting for key infrastructure projects while maintaining environmental protections… The rule implements last year's debt ceiling deal that Biden negotiated with GOP leaders, including setting clear deadlines and page limits for environmental reviews as well as establishing one lead agency to handle such reviews.

Politico: Biden administration finalizes update to NEPA permitting law
[Zack Colman, 4/30/24]

The updates to the National Environmental Policy Act aim to address concerns from both parties that the nation's permitting laws are hampering efforts to add clean power to the electric grid, establish a domestic critical minerals supply chain and build manufacturing hubs for semiconductors, clean energy, batteries and electric vehicles. Administration officials pitched the new rule as necessary for hitting President Joe Biden's climate goals while preserving meaningful community participation in the environmental review process.

The Hill: White House finalizes permitting reform rule included in debt ceiling deal
[Zack Budryk, 4/30/24]

The final rule also includes provisions to improve community engagement in the environmental review process, undoing a 2020 Trump administration rule that critics have said imposed excessive hurdles for public comment during the process. Environmental groups praised the Biden administration for the final rule, saying it restored enforcement strength to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) that had been previously rolled back.

Axios: Biden completes permitting rule
[Ben Geman, 4/30/24]

The White House today unveiled final rules to speed up permitting for infrastructure projects — including transmission and low-carbon energy. Accelerating timelines that often drag on for years would help realize the goals of the Democrats' 2022 climate law and the bipartisan 2021 infrastructure deal.

Bloomberg Law: Biden Issues Permitting Changes to Speed Clean Energy Build Out
[Stephen Lee, 4/30/24]

The Biden administration on Tuesday will finalize its second set of changes to the nation's environmental permitting rules, part of an ongoing bid to speed the build-out of renewable energy infrastructure.

Common Dreams: Biden Restores, Expands Bedrock Environmental Law Gutted by Trump
[Jessica Corbett, 4/30/24]

In a clear demonstration of how U.S. President Joe Biden's priorities differ from those of his GOP predecessor, the Democrat on Tuesday finalized a two-part push to revive and strengthen a landmark environmental law eviscerated by the Trump administration in 2020.