A last-gasp effort to attach a permitting package to year-end spending and disaster legislation has failed, several people familiar with the situation told POLITICO’s E&E News. Others say talks are still ongoing.
Lawmakers like Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chair Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) and House Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) have been trying to secure a deal to bolster the electric grid and ease the approval process for all types of energy projects.
But they have been unable to clinch an agreement acceptable to all sides, according to people familiar with the situation who were granted anonymity to speak candidly.
“Negotiators made a lot of progress to close the gap, but the speaker pulled the plug,” one person said about House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who has been eager to finish the last major bills of the year for release by Sunday.
Senate Environment and Public Works Chair Tom Carper (D-Del.) was among the lawmakers who expressed concerns about Republican demands on the National Environmental Policy Act. He made concessions on limiting lawsuits and giving states more power.
“A lot of progress was made on negotiations, but Speaker Johnson killed permitting. Chairman Carper wants to keep working to find a deal if House leadership comes back to the negotiating table,” said a Democratic aide.
The speaker’s office has not provided a response to the accusations.
Negotiators made progress on NEPA, but there didn’t appear to be much movement on grid and permitting provisions backed by Manchin and ENR ranking member John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), said one person.
Westerman on Friday was not completely closing the door to an accord. “Anyone who’s spent time in DC knows while there’s still time there’s still opportunity. We’re continuing to work in good faith,” he said in a statement, echoing Manchin’s camp.
Republicans have said they want to address permitting next year when they take control of Congress and the White House. But it’s unclear how much they’ll be able to do through the budget reconciliation process.
For Democrats, grid improvements would help carry renewable energy across the country. They’ve also been eager to see more solar and wind projects off the ground.
Conservative groups like the American Energy Alliance and the Competitive Enterprise Institute crafted a letter of opposition, arguing a permitting agreement would only help the Democrats’ green goals.
Farm bill, lands package
When it comes to the farm bill, the spending legislation is poised to include a one-year extension, said people familiar with the matter. Talks broke down on a broader deal to secure billions of dollars from the Inflation Reduction Act and provide new disaster aid to farmers.
Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle and advocates are urging leaders to reconsider before releasing the final year-end package Sunday.
Aides have not said whether a public lands and natural resources package in the works has been finalized. Some lawmakers were skeptical it would be.
Reporters Marc Heller, Andres Picon, Emma Dumain, Garrett Downs and Nico Portuondo contributed.
