Lawmakers have left to campaign, so it's time again to look at where things stand with energy and climate legislation heading into the lame duck.
Why it matters: Congress sent an environmental permitting bill to President Biden's desk since we last updated the list. Committees are moving, and legislative vehicles are starting to come together.
PROVE IT Act
The issue: Bipartisan legislation to study industrial climate emissions, a possible step toward carbon tariffs.
Status: Approved by Senate EPW. Introduced in the House.
What's next: The sponsors want to get it into a must-pass bill but have been unsuccessful so far getting a hearing in House Energy and Commerce.
Hydro permitting overhaul
The issue: Separate bills in the House and Senate to speed up licensing for hydropower dams.
Status: Approved by House E&C. Hearings held in the Senate.
What's next: Hydro licensing was mostly left out of Senate ENR's permitting bill, but senators want to add some smaller hydro provisions.
CHIPS permitting exemption
The issue: Exempting CHIPS Act-funded semiconductor projects from NEPA requirements.
Status: Passed Senate. Passed House.
What's next: The bill passed despite some divides among Democrats. Biden is expected to sign it.
Transmission policy update
The issue: A bunch of ideas to speed up permitting for big power lines.
Status: Approved by Senate ENR. Bills introduced in the House.
What's next: The Manchin-Barrasso bill is really the only path for transmission this Congress. There will be a lame-duck push.
NEPA judicial review limits
The issue: Shortening the statute of limitations for lawsuits against environmental permits.
Status: Passed the House as part of H.R. 1. Approved by Senate ENR.
What's next: Manchin-Barrasso is the clearest way to get this done, but the Senate language would apply only to energy projects.
- House Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman is out with a broader NEPA proposal that's the main permitting counterproposal.
Farm bill
The issue: Reauthorizing farm programs and disputes about IRA climate funds.
Status: Approved by House Ag. Awaiting action on Senate proposal.
What's next: Lawmakers hope to get it done in lame duck, but the IRA fight continues.
Pipeline safety reauth
The issue: Reauthorizing Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration programs.
Status: Separate proposals approved by House T&I and E&C. No Senate action.
What's next: House T&I has a bipartisan proposal, but E&C is stuck in partisan disputes. The Senate hasn't moved.
Good Samaritan mine cleanup
The issue: Creating a pilot program to permit Good Samaritans to clean up abandoned hardrock mines.
Status: Passed Senate. Approved by House T&I.
What's next: It's included in the Senate NDAA manager's package, which puts it very close to riding on a final defense bill at the end of the year.
AM radio mandate
The issue: Requiring AM radios, which have been eliminated in some EVs.
Status: Approved by Senate Commerce. Approved by House E&C.
What's next: It was left out of the NDAA manager's package, but the bill could still ride on a year-end vehicle now that it's moving in both chambers.
