Trump administration chides Democratic holdout over permitting reform

The Trump administration is escalating its call for Congress to pass legislation that would accelerate federal approvals for energy and infrastructure projects, but it is stopping short of giving assurances to Democrats that renewables will fairly benefit from any reforms.

Reforming the permitting process has been a top priority for this Congress, as Republicans and Democratic lawmakers have seen clean energy, fossil fuel, and other infrastructure-related projects in their districts hamstrung by lengthy environmental reviews and court challenges.

Progress was made in the House before the end of last year, with the lower chamber advancing the bipartisan Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act, which looks to simplify the National Environmental Policy Act.

Negotiations stalled just days later, however, when the Interior Department paused leases for