Can Permitting Barriers Be Overcome to Accelerate Clean Energy?

For 53 years, permitting has been a core tenet of environmental protection in the United States. “Permitting” is the term for all the approvals needed for a major project. Before projects are approved, environmental impact statements and public input have to be considered. As clean energy, electricity transition, and forest management projects have faced delays of several years due to this bureaucratic process, many have questioned if the current permitting system needs reform.

In June 2023, Congress took a first step by passing the bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA). It amended the environmental review process by streamlining the application and documentation process.

This episode of “The Sweaty Penguin” defines permitting and explores the current drawbacks of this process, as well as how this system could be reformed. Featuring special guest Danielle Stokes, Assistant Professor of Law at Richmond University.