Politics
Senate Takes Up Bipartisan Energy Permitting Bill as Democrats Weigh Post-Election Strategy
The Senate is set to vote Monday on sweeping permitting reform that would speed approvals for energy projects and data centers, but environmental groups and some Democrats warn it could entrench fossil fuels and weaken safeguards.
WASHINGTON â The Senate on Monday is expected to hold a procedural vote on bipartisan legislation that would accelerate permitting reviews for energy projects and data centers, marking Congress's first major legislative action since last week's midterm elections delivered a decisive rebuke to President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans.
The bill, negotiated by the leaders of the Senate's energy and environment panels, would shorten the timeline for launching large-scale energy projects â both clean energy and fossil fuel â and require data centers to pay for the electricity they consume. Supporters say the changes are needed to meet surging demand for power that currently faces yearslong delays in connecting to the grid.
Trump urged senators to back the measure in a social media post Sunday, calling it a "BIG WIN for U.S. ENERGY INDEPENDENCE and DOMINANCE" and saying it would "ensure that we can build Pipelines, Mines, and Power Plants faster than ever before, lowering Energy Costs for American Families."
The bill's four main sponsors â Republican Sens. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Mike Lee of Utah, and Democratic Sens. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island â released a detailed set of amendments Saturday aimed at shoring up support. They argue that Americans are frustrated by high utility bills while projects that could lower costs remain stuck in planning for years.
"Americans can't afford to wait for lower electricity prices. We need to pass this bill now," Heinrich said.
Major industry groups representing both clean energy developers and the oil and gas sector have endorsed the legislation. But environmental organizations, including the Sierra Club and the National Wildlife Federation, have strongly opposed it, warning that it would lock in fossil fuel development, weaken environmental safeguards and make it harder for communities to challenge project approvals. Critics have specifically cited concerns about limits on judicial review and changes to the landmark National Environmental Policy Act.
The politics of the bill have grown more complicated since last week's election. Anger over artificial intelligence data centers and rising electricity costs helped propel a wave of Democrats who pledged to clamp down on the massive, energy-hungry facilities. Some Democrats now argue the party should use its stronger position in the next Congress to pass legislation that builds out clean energy rather than fast-tracking fossil fuel projects.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democrat expected to become speaker in January, criticized the bill last week; a spokesperson said it "falls short" in several areas.
The procedural vote will test whether the bipartisan coalition behind the deal can hold together in a changed political landscape â and whether lawmakers can deliver on promises to lower energy costs while addressing the environmental concerns that have mobilized voters in both parties.