Trump’s Clean Energy Sabotage Is Undermining Chance of Permitting Reform Deal

Press Contact: Holly Burke

At a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee budget hearing today, several Senate Democrats put Interior Secretary Doug Burgum on notice that his sabotage of clean energy projects is standing in the way of Congress reaching a bipartisan permitting reform deal. 

• • Ranking Member Heinrich: “If permitting reform is a priority, the permitting system has to work. And if you want members of my caucus to support permitting reform, we have to know that balls and strikes are going to be called, that there is not a thumb on the scale of this system. That confidence does not exist right now, Secretary.”
  • Senator King: “I can tell you as one who has been in the center of all these discussions, there will be no permitting reform until this administration decides its gonna stop playing one side. Allowing one side to go forward and not the other. We’d be foolish to pass permitting reform that allowed fossil projects to move with more alacrity through the system, and theoretically would allow renewable projects to only end up on your desk”
  • Senator Cortez Masto: “I’ve met with many developers who are struggling to figure out how to advance through the process since you issued that July 15th memo. I am also hearing from developers that are being told they need to be represented by republican lobbyists if they want their projects to be approved. I think that’s totally inappropriate, I hope that’s not the case. So whatever transparency you can provide to us would be beneficial, I think, all around, including to those developers.”  
  • Senator Padilla: “It makes no sense for an administration that wants to be energy dominant, as electricity prices are skyrocketing and demand growth is increasing, to pay developers to stop building energy projects that could add more electrons to the grid.” 

In response, Evergreen Action Federal Affairs Director Dani Hupper released the following statement:

“The Trump administration appears to be doing everything it can to sink a bipartisan permitting deal in Congress. Senate Democrats have made it clear that the administration’s illegal strategies to sabotage wind, solar, and battery projects are undermining bipartisan efforts to reach a deal. In just the last few weeks, the Trump administration has tried new, even more ridiculous tactics to advance its politically-motivated war on wind. From paying off TotalEnergies to abandon its offshore wind leases, to erecting  more bureaucratic roadblocks, to shutting down two more planned offshore wind projects this week, the administration continues to harm the progress on permitting reform members of Congress are trying to make. 

“Permitting reform is critical to deploy cheap clean energy at the scale needed to meet demand and bring down skyrocketing energy bills. But as long as the Trump administration abuses its executive powers to undermine American-made clean energy, then there will be no trust in a permitting deal from Congress. We commend Senate Democrats for their comments, clarity, and leadership today in demanding the administration end its illegal sabotage campaign.”

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