The US Senate is scheduled to vote on November 9 on the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA), a 417-page permitting reform bill, according to MIT Technology Review. The bill aims to speed up approval of energy projects such as power plants, transmission lines, and natural-gas pipelines. It would narrow the set of projects that must apply for federal permits and set deadlines for reviews, which can currently take years.
The bill is largely technology neutral. It would open the door to both fossil fuel and renewable projects. Its four Senate sponsors are two Republicans and two Democrats. The White House backs it, and its Council of Economic Advisors found that it would reduce review times and boost GDP.
The American Clean Power Association supports the bill. Its analysis finds it could unlock 350 gigawatts of new clean energy for the grid. The Natural Resources Defense Council says the transmission provisions could benefit the grid, but it opposes the narrowing of environmental reviews, which it says could harm public and private lands.
Early estimates vary. Rhodium Group found that in the best case, the bill would cut economy-wide emissions by 4%, reduce annual household energy bills by $78, and add