Senate Negotiations on Permitting Reform Remain Stalled

Negotiations over legislation to shorten federal environmental reviews for energy and infrastructure projects have stalled in the Senate. The House passed the bipartisan SPEED Act in December, which would amend a decades-old law requiring agencies to evaluate environmental effects of major actions such as permits for roads and data centers.

Lawmakers from both parties have discussed provisions covering judicial review timelines and transmission lines. The SPEED Act would shorten the statute of limitations for legal challenges from several years to 150 days.

60 votes in the Senate remains a key requirement.

Chris Treanor, executive director of the Partnership to Address Global Emissions, said there are enough Democratic votes for a package if the White House and Senate leadership reach an agreement. He estimated the bill could receive 70 or 75 votes if the two senators signed off.

Transmission reform is another focus.

Democrats seek modernized lines to connect solar, storage, and wind projects, while Republicans aim to accelerate natural gas pipelines and data centers. Neither side wants to grant the other a policy win on this issue. Xan Fishman, vice president of the Energy Program at the Bipartisan Policy Center, said the White House actions on specific energy sources add another complication to reaching a compromise.