Grijalva urges colleagues to oppose permitting deal

By Kelsey Brugger | 10/09/2024 01:54 PM EDT

The Arizona Democrat railed against “unprecedented changes to our judicial system.”

Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.).

House Natural Resources ranking member Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) is urging colleagues to oppose the Senate's permitting package. Francis Chung/POLITICO

The top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday made his most detailed rejection yet of permitting legislation that’s getting traction in the Senate.

Arizona Rep. Raúl Grijalva, a progressive, circulated a letter against S. 4753 from Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chair Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) and ranking member John Barrasso (R-Wyo.).

Even though several Democrats have embraced the bill because it would bolster green energy deployment, Grijalva said it would boost the fossil fuel industry and hurt marginalized communities.

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“Unfortunately, Big Oil and their polluter friends have hijacked the permitting reform discussion as an opportunity to lobby for more giveaways and handouts, including unprecedented changes to our judicial system, attacks on our bedrock environmental and public health laws, and fast-tracked approvals for their dirtiest projects,” wrote Grijalva.

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