Lobbying disclosure records made public last week are showcasing how intense the lobbying has been around the congressional talks toward a permitting reform deal.
Permitting has been a top agenda item for energy and other interests since Democrats passed their Inflation Reduction Act in 2022 and promised to negotiate on easing project approvals. Since then, progress toward a bipartisan deal has been limited.
But December saw passage of the “Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act,” H.R. 4776, in the House with some Democratic support. Eyes are now focused on Senate talks.
More than 200 companies, associations and others reported lobbying last year on permitting during a period that ran from October to the end of the year. Lobbyists represented oil and gas firms, electric utilities, construction companies, tech interests, renewable energy, labor and green groups.
