Permitting talks on thin ice after Carper objections
Illustration: Gabriella Turrisi/Axios
Senate Environment and Public Works Chair Tom Carper threw cold water on a GOP permitting proposal on Thursday, putting a possible year-end deal in jeopardy.
Why it matters: Congress has little time left to reach a deal on a permitting package to speed up approvals for renewable energy, electric transmission lines, fossil fuel leasing and mining approvals.
- Carper controls the committee with jurisdiction over NEPA.
Driving the news: Carper, in a statement, blamed House Republicans for derailing negotiations.
- "Their measure of success is not strong NEPA reforms — in fact, their measure of success is simply how many words match H.R. 1.," he said, referencing the GOP permitting bill from last year.
The other side: Rep. Bruce Westerman expressed hope that a deal could still be reached: "We made progress and are still at the table working in good faith."
- "These are important issues that have a dramatic impact on our country's future," he said in a statement. "We must get this right and are still working on a handful of issues that could unlock a deal."
Behind the scenes: Carper attended a Thursday meeting on permitting with Sens. Joe Manchin and John Hickenlooper and Westerman and Rep. Garret Graves, according to a senior Democratic aide who spoke on condition of anonymity.
- But according to two other sources close to the meeting who spoke on condition of anonymity, Carper walked out 30 minutes into the four-hour session.
- One of those sources agreed with Westerman that despite the incident, and Carper's statement, "progress was made."
- Negotiators are working furiously to attach a deal to the year-end continuing resolution that's expected to be finalized this weekend.
Between the lines: Carper said he has been amenable to some expansion of provisions of the Manchin-Barrasso permitting deal.
- "I have been willing to go as far as taking judicial review provisions from the Energy Permitting Reform Act and applying them across NEPA and allowing some state assumption of responsibility under NEPA, among other major concessions, in order to get more projects underway in the United States."
Manchin said he "respects my dear friend Tom Carper's position."
Editor's note: This story has been updated with comment from Rep. Bruce Westerman.
