Senate reaches bipartisan deal on permitting bill to speed approvals of new energy projects

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators from both parties said Wednesday they have reached a bipartisan deal on legislation aimed at speeding up permitting reviews for new energy and infrastructure projects that now face yearslong delays as lawmakers seek to meet growing demand for electricity and other forms of energy.

The bill, proponents argue, would cut down the arduous timeline for getting big energy projects off the ground at a time when demand is rising because of mushrooming data centers for AI. The bill would ensure data centers are forced to pay for the increased electricity they use and would mark a significant change to a landmark environmental law that critics say slows down the process of building energy products.

Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, called the bill "a major step toward making it faster and more efficient and easier to build infrastructure projects" of all types while maintaining important environmental protections.

"The American people sent us here to do big things. This is a big thing. It's monumental and it's legacy-setting," Capito said at a news conference at the Capitol where she was joined by Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah and Democratic Sens. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. The four senators lead the chamber's energy and environment panels.

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