An era of unprecedented energy demand. America is at the dawn of a new age of energy demand fueled by robust economic growth, a revival of American manufacturing, strong advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing. Over the next decade, energy demand growth is expected to increase by up to 18%. The U.S. needs to build new resources equal to double the size of the current Texas grid (for a total of 150 GW of new power) over the next decade to meet this demand.
These developments present immense opportunities for America to build big things as we once did, including thousands of new power plants, energy projects and transmission lines to connect to the grid at an unprecedented pace and scale.
Unmovable bureaucratic obstacles cause delays at every stage of project development whether it is federal permitting, lawsuits or local opposition. The American permitting system must be modernized to meet rising demand and ensure access to clean, reliable, affordable, and abundant energy.
Let America Build. The current process to permit needed energy infrastructure projects is a complex, disjointed framework across different federal regulatory bodies, states and local governments. Many projects are subject to a lengthy environmental review process under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). NEPA requires federal agencies to assess proposed projects' environmental effects before making decisions. The average timeline for a project to obtain necessary NEPA reviews is 4.5 years, which may include litigation on the NEPA process. Even with this approval, a project still needs to secure its federal permits.
It’s time to face the facts: time is money, and the lengthy permitting process disincentivizes investment in energy infrastructure, halts development and reduces access to clean, reliable, affordable power. President Trump stressed the need for permitting reform in his executive order, “Unleashing American Energy.” However, a durable, legislative fix is required to get projects moving and ensure they keep moving regardless of changes in the Administration. Needed changes include utilizing AI and technology to streamline reviews, implementing a “permit-by-rule” process and reforming judicial review.