U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island announced that they will reopen negotiations on permitting reform. Heinrich serves as the Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, while Whitehouse is the Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works Committee.
In a joint statement, the senators said, “After discussions with our colleagues, we have decided to reopen negotiations on permitting reform. We are hopeful that recent developments are indicative of a positive direction from the Trump administration. As we move forward, we expect that there will be no further interference with already-permitted wind projects and that the initial movement we’ve seen on solar project permitting will accelerate, and other renewable projects will move forward as well. Seeing permits continuing to be approved by the administration is critical for ensuring that talks can continue. Further mischief will undo our willingness to resume negotiations.
“We look forward to working on a bipartisan bill that will speed infrastructure development, lower energy costs, and create good-paying jobs.”
The decision follows conversations among lawmakers about ongoing issues in federal permitting processes for renewable energy projects such as wind and solar power. The senators indicated their willingness to work across party lines if progress continues on approving permits for these projects.
