The Senate is fast tracking legislation that would reduce permitting times for energy projects, but possibly to the detriment of longstanding policies protecting the environment.
The Associated Press reported that the Senate voted 73-25 to advance the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026 (BAAJA). The bill was drafted in response to growing electricity costs from sources like grid-connected hyperscale data centers. By reducing permitting times, energy projects, like solar energy or onshore oil drilling, could address rising energy costs.
However, environmental groups consider BAAJA a reckless response to an immediate need for more power. The bill would amend sections of the Natural Environmental Policy Act, Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act of 1973 to shorten review periods for new projects, and reduce which projects actually require reviews under these acts.
“We shouldn’t and don’t need to endanger our wildlife just to save a few dollars on gas. We shouldn’t and don’t need to weaken the rules that protect our water from pollution in order to build more clean energy. We shouldn’t facilitate more global-warming air pollution. And we definitely shouldn’t be taking away the public’s right to weigh in on projects that can ruin their environment, make them sick and lessen their quality of life,” said Lisa Frank, executive director of Environment America.
Despite the bill’s threat to environmental measures, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has voiced its support for BAAJA, as have hundreds of companies in the solar and energy storage industry. More than 300 groups co-signed a letter addressed to Congress yesterday imploring the House pass this bill.
“Americans urgently need lower energy costs, a better electric grid and more nergy made in the U.S.A. This bipartisan legislation delivers all three,” said Tim Pawlenty, CEO of SEIA.
SEIA conducted an analysis that claims passing BAAJA could spur 167 GW of new solar energy on the grid between 2028 and 2035, while curbing the country’s CO2 emissions by 20%.
“Updating and expediting transmission and clean energy permitting is essential to delivering lower costs, reduced air, water and climate pollution, protecting communities and expanding the grid for the American people,” said Loren Blackford, executive director of Sierra Club, in a press statement on Sunday. “But rushing legislation that erodes Tribal sovereignty and people’s right to have a say in what is built in their communities, abandons clean water safeguards and wildlife protections, while further enabling a rogue president that is waging a war on clean energy and our public lands is not an acceptable outcome.”
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