Heinrich backs bill to speed federal energy permits

Heinrich joins cross-party proposal

New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich is co-sponsoring legislation intended to accelerate federal permitting for large energy projects. Heinrich, a Democrat, is working with a group of Republican senators on the measure.

The proposal focuses on the federal process used to review and authorize major energy developments. Heinrich called that system “broken” while making the case for legislation to move projects through permitting more quickly.

The senators’ shared sponsorship places members of both major parties behind the effort. Their agreement is focused on changing the pace of federal permitting, but sponsorship alone does not determine whether a bill will advance or become law.

The policy question

The bill puts two connected issues before Congress: how quickly federal officials should make permitting decisions and what process should govern those decisions. Its central aim is to reduce the time required for large energy projects to receive federal permits.

The proposal concerns energy and environmental policy because federal permitting is a step in deciding whether major projects may proceed. Changes to that process can determine how quickly federal decisions are made.

What happens next

The next steps will show how Congress handles the proposal and whether lawmakers seek changes to its permitting provisions. Committee action would provide a venue for senators to examine the measure, consider revisions and decide whether to move it forward.

Further action would also show whether the cross-party group supporting the proposal can maintain agreement as lawmakers consider the bill’s specific approach to speeding federal permits.