Dec 10, 2024 Letter: Oil and Gas Industry Coalition Issues Urgent Call for Permitting Reform to Unleash American Energy
Dear Mr. Speaker,
We write to you today, as a coalition of oil and natural gas trade associations representing over 80% of domestic production in the United States, urging you to take swift action on permitting reform before the close of the 118th Congress. We strongly believe that immediate action on this important issue is critical for our industry to fully unleash the power of American energy as the results of the election in November clearly shows the American people support.
Permitting reform is critical to bolstering America’s energy security, growing American jobs, and building much-needed energy infrastructure to support the projected energy demands in our country in the coming years. According to an analysis by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, in 2000, on average, it took two years for an energy infrastructure project to go from the point of its first permit being filed to becoming operational in the United States. This includes everything from interstate gas pipelines to renewable energy transmission projects. Over 20 years later, in 2022, the average was over 5 years. Such delays discourage investment in these projects and threatens our energy security. Many projects take even longer or are ultimately cancelled as funding is lost or companies simply give up.
While we certainly support additional Congressional action on the issue in the 119th Congress, our coalition believes there is an opportunity in the coming weeks to pass the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024, which will in turn expedite President Trump’s ability to execute on his promise to unleash American energy early in his first term. …
