Sen. Alan Armstrong, R-Okla., has made permitting reform a top priority in his first few months as a senator, a move that could have a significant impact on energy production in the U.S.
Permitting reform has been a contentious issue in Congress for years, with proponents arguing that it could lead to increased economic competitiveness and a boom in energy production, particularly against China.
Armstrong, who previously served as CEO of Williams Companies, a natural gas processor and transporter, is pushing for comprehensive reform that would alleviate time and money spent on the permitting process for pipeline developers, LNG export companies, and natural gas producers.
The legislation, which is backed by several Republican senators and nearly two dozen oil and gas companies, would make the Federal Energy Regulatory Agency (FERC) the lead agency in approving interstate pipelines and LNG terminals, a change in current law that would prevent a single state from blocking a federally approved interstate project.
The package also includes provisions that require "evidence-based" review when it comes to environmental-based decisions in the permitting process and expands the usage of Nationwide Permits under the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to create a broader standardized approval process for certain projects.
Additionally, the legislation creates standardized requirements for projects that affect wetlands and waterways and would make it easier for mining, particularly of critical minerals, to take place on federal lands.
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) would also be reformed to narrow what agencies analyze, clarify that NEPA is largely a procedural law, limit expansive environmental analyses, and establish clearer rules for review in court.
Armstrong believes that permitting reform is crucial for the country's future, stating that "America has got to be able to build again, or else we are leaving our kids a worse country than the one we inherited from previous generations."
He is committed to pushing this issue forward, declaring that he "won’t be stepping off the gas" and will continue to fight for comprehensive permitting reform.
