US Senate to revisit energy permitting bill after next week's recess, Whitehouse says

what happened

According to Reuters, the US Senate will not hold more votes on the broad permitting reform bill for energy projects until next week. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat and one of the four authors of the measure, said lawmakers will then take up amendments and a final passage vote. He is currently in Turkey at the COP 31 UN climate conference and said he would return by Monday.

Some senators have already filed proposed changes. A group of Democrats led by California's Adam Schiff wants to strip provisions tied to the National Historic Preservation Act, arguing they would weaken protections for tribal resources. Republican Josh Hawley of Missouri has proposed amendments to shield farmers and other landowners from having land seized through eminent domain for transmission lines.

Whitehouse also said the Senate's 75-23 vote earlier this week to advance the legislation had improved its prospects in the House of Representatives. He added that members of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus had assured senators the House will hold a vote on the measure and are optimistic it will pass.

why it matters

For markets, the key point is the pace of permitting. If approval processes speed up, transmission lines and new generation capacity could be built faster, which matters for grid operators and power companies. The bill is still at an intermediate stage, and the outcome of the Senate and House votes remains uncertain.

market impact

US utilities and grid operators: faster approvals could support investment in transmission lines.

• ▲US grid operators pressure up — faster approval of transmission lines would expand their investment plans

tags

instruments