A bipartisan group of senators says it has come closer than ever to a deal on permitting reform, which would make it easier to build new energy projects. The push comes as electricity demand surges across the United States, driven in part by the tech industry's rapid construction of data centers. Lawmakers from both parties agree the current federal permitting process is a major barrier, with lengthy reviews and legal challenges delaying projects for years.
But the bill faces a public relations problem: data centers are deeply unpopular with voters. Polling cited by the source shows Democrats, Republicans, and independents strongly oppose data centers in their communities, and support for permitting reform drops when it is tied to them. That leaves legislators, many facing reelection, trying to advance the infrastructure that enables the data center boom without making it the centerpiece of their pitch.
The draft bill's contents are not public, but stakeholders expect it to reduce the environmental and social effects agencies must consider, loosen Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act requirements for transmission lines and pipelines, and make approved permits harder to challenge in court. Such changes would ease construction for both renewable and fossil fuel projects, particularly solar and natural gas, which are the fastest-growing power sources. Solar and gas industry groups support the reform, while environmental groups like the Natural Resources Defense Council want faster renewable development without weakening bedrock environmental laws. The source notes that President Donald Trump has signaled he would stop blocking renewable projects to win Democratic support, but some Democrats want more clarity on that commitment before agreeing to a deal.