The Energy Permitting Reform Act is dangerous

President-elect Donald Trump has promised to ramp up oil and gas production by, among other things, opening more public land to drilling and fracking. He has also promised “crystal clean water.” The problem is that those two goals are often at odds.

Trump’s “drill, baby, drill” agenda hinges on proposed legislation that would make it easier to greenlight energy projects: the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024. Currently under consideration in the Senate, the bill proposes sweeping changes to energy development. It would prioritize speedy approval over thorough review of environmental impacts, including threats to water quality. And it would shorten the time allowed to file legal challenges to energy projects — from six years to just 150 days — making it harder for local communities to challenge government agencies and have their voices heard. 

The mastermind behind this legislation is Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.), a longtime friend of the fossil fuel industry. Manchin and Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), the bill’s cosponsor, have touted the legislation as an “all of the above” approach that would advance renewable energy as well as fossil fuels. Indeed, the bill would boost renewables by speeding approval of transmission lines that connect solar and wind farms to electricity users. But the environmental benefits of this legislation would be far outweighed by the expansion of fossil fuel development and new threats to the safety and quality of water resources. 

The risks are especially high in the Great Lakes Region, which contains 21 percent of the world’s surface freshwater. The Energy Permitting Reform Act would vastly expand drilling for fossil fuels on public lands, increasing the likelihood of spills, leaks and toxic runoff that can harm crucial freshwater resources. It would allow private corporations to claim thousands of acres of public lands — owned by the American people — for mining and storage of toxic mine waste. This toxic waste leaches acid into streams and aquifers, imperiling fish and wildlife. And the bill would extend the length of drilling permits, prolonging communities’ exposure to pollution from fossil fuel development. 

So far, concerns raised by environmental advocates have not halted the progress of this dangerous legislation. Manchin has moved the bill through the chamber swiftly and strategically. In August, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources advanced the legislation in a bipartisan 15-4 vote. 

It is likely that the bill could reach the Senate floor during the current lame-duck session before the next Congress is seated. When Republicans take full control of Congress in January, the bill is even more likely to pass.

There is still time to stop this harmful legislation. The fact is, we don’t need to loosen regulations on fossil fuel production. The U.S. is already the largest producer of oil and gas in the world, despite environmental protections and restrictions on drilling on federal lands.

We need standalone commitments to renewable energy, not legislation that locks us into further dependence on fossil fuels. And we need to preserve the hard-won environmental regulations that protect the “crystal clean water” on which all life depends.

Jill Ryan is the executive director of Freshwater Future, a nonprofit organization based in Petoskey, Michigan that works to safeguard the waters of the Great Lakes region.