Graves talks to reporters. Photo: Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Democrats got burned by the debt deal's omission of transmission, and it's not clear that Congress will be able to strike another permits deal soon.
Why it matters: The Inflation Reduction Act's subsidies will be less impactful without an overhaul of the electric grid.
Rep. Garret Graves, the top GOP negotiator, said further negotiations would focus on transmission; restrictions on judicial review under NEPA; and changes to section 401 of the Clean Water Act to ease permitting for pipelines.
- "There's an agreement we are going to get back together [to negotiate]," he told reporters yesterday. "Those three things would be the scope."
Yes, but: Some Democrats don't see that as an acceptable avenue and believe the GOP is trying to punt on transmission.
- The debt deal contains only a study of interregional transmission transfer capacity — and it would take more than two years.
- "It's analogous to saying, 'We've had a bunch of scientists review global warming and have concluded that we should probably study the problem,'" Rep. Sean Casten told Nick.
- "I have not gotten any good answers from the White House as to why they thought it was a win to mandate a study that's already been done," he said.
Our thought bubble: There are indeed plenty of studies on transmission needs.
