Analysis by Energy Workforce President Tim Tarpley
Fingers crossed, but it’s looking likely that the bipartisan SPEED Act has a good chance of passing out of the House next week. The legislation, introduced by Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR), would be instrumental in reforming NEPA and other federal permitting roadblocks that slow projects and make construction of large energy infrastructure projects in the United States increasingly difficult or financially impossible. It is becoming increasingly clear that, without large-scale permitting reform like the SPEED Act, it will be impossible to meet the growing energy demands projected for the United States. This handicap is a national security issue, as our adversaries and economic competitors around the world move quickly on their own infrastructure projects. The longer we wait, the farther we fall behind.
The bipartisan legislation enjoys six Republican and six Democratic cosponsors and is scheduled to move to the floor next week after reporting out of committee via a voice vote. EWTC has been a long supporter of the legislation since its introduction earlier this year and has been working behind the scenes with our coalition allies to build support on both sides of the aisle. This support will be vital not only for the legislation to pass the House, but also to meet the 60-vote threshold in the Senate necessary for it to become law.
What are the prospects? What does it mean for us? Well, given that the bill has bipartisan support and that there are enough Democrats to cover any potential Republican defectors, the chances of passage in the House look good. There was a slight potential hiccup this week when a few members of the House Freedom Caucus indicated they might withhold support without language limiting expedited permitting timeframes for renewable energy projects. While the number of potential detractors right now is quite small, this minor rebellion should be watched closely if it begins to grow. Any limiting language added to SPEED could potentially threaten its passage in the Senate, depending on what it actually does.
Should the SPEED Act pass next week, it will be a big step forward for the prospects of permitting reform this Congress; however, it should not be seen as a silver bullet that solves the problem. The Senate may very well make significant changes to the bill or perhaps even attempt to pass its own legislation. This process could take precious time, and the closer we get to the midterms next year, the harder any sort of “bipartisan” work will be to accomplish. There are also certainly those on the Democratic side who are considering the prospect of taking back the House in the midterms and may be hesitant to support a deal now if they think they can get a better one in a year. The window likely begins to close in the spring of next year.
EWTC will continue to advocate for this legislation as it moves forward and keep the workforce up to date on any significant changes.
Tim Tarpley, Energy Workforce President, analyzes federal policy for the Energy Workforce & Technology Council. Click here to subscribe to the Energy Workforce newsletter, which highlights sector-specific issues, best practices, activities and more.
