Clean Energy Permitting Reform

Permitting reform is critical to meeting our climate targets. Speeding up the pace with which we build and deploy new clean energy projects will reduce our carbon pollution 12% by 2030.

Permitting reform makes complementary climate policies more effective. Without permitting reform, we will only realize about 28% emissions reductions by 2030 or 20% of the potential from the Inflation Reduction Act. And, permitting reform will also make a carbon price much more effective at reducing carbon pollution.

Permitting reform will save lives by cutting air pollution. With permitting reform, the Inflation Reduction Act will reduce the incidence of diseases like asthma and lung disease and prevent up to 180,000 premature American deaths over the next decade by reducing air pollution. Without permitting reform, there will be many thousands more premature deaths, mostly in vulnerable communities near sources of pollution.

Permitting reform is emerging as the biggest opportunity to cut carbon pollution in this Congress. There are serious bipartisan efforts in both the Senate and the House happening on permitting reform. Discussions are happening, and we should expect to see bills coming out in Congress soon.

An improved permitting process should allow local communities to give real input on energy projects and choose good projects over bad ones. Good projects should be approved faster, and harmful projects should be rejected faster. While it is impossible to build more clean energy projects without impact, new projects should safeguard the lives and health of people living near them.