- Published on
A new bill could change how the US builds energy infrastructure
- Authors
- Name
- DeepHorus
The Senate is scheduled to vote on November 9 on the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA), a 417-page permitting-reform bill meant to speed U.S. energy infrastructure approvals. It would narrow which projects need federal permits and impose deadlines on reviews that can take years. The bill is largely technology neutral, covering fossil-fuel and renewable projects alike.
Federal permitting is governed by laws including the National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Water Act. These rules are designed to protect the environment from large projects such as power plants, transmission lines and natural-gas pipelines. Supporters say the system is slow and complicated, delaying needed construction.
BAAJA has four Senate sponsors, two Republicans and two Democrats. The White House has backed it, and its Council of Economic Advisers found it would shorten reviews and boost GDP. The American Clean Power Association says it could unlock 350 gigawatts of new clean energy.
Some environmental groups oppose the bill or parts of it. The Natural Resources Defense Council says transmission provisions could benefit the grid, but narrower environmental reviews could damage public and private lands. Critics also worry it could open the floodgates for new natural-gas plants as data centers increase grid pressure.
Early analyses offer mixed emissions estimates. Rhodium Group found a best-case scenario would cut economy-wide emissions 4%, lower annual household energy bills by $78 and add 200 gigawatts of clean energy by 2040, while emissions would stay roughly flat in the worst case. Resources for the Future estimated a 6% cut in power-sector emissions by 2041 and more than $350 billion in system-cost savings by midcentury.
Supporters say renewables will benefit most because solar and wind are cheap. Energy modeler Kevin Kircher described a trade-off between clean electricity and fossil fuels. The Senate vote will test that balance.
