Illustration: Lindsey Bailey / Axios
House Republicans are reviving a push to overhaul environmental reviews in what they say would be a way to unlock fossil fuels and renewable energy alike.
Why it matters: House Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman is renewing his pitch for a NEPA overhaul as a way to build out the power grid and meet rising energy demand.
Driving the news: His committee held an oversight hearing Tuesday on overhauling NEPA.
- "NEPA has mutated into a significant roadblock carrying out the infrastructure and energy projects essential to America's energy and national security needs," Westerman said.
- NEPA reviews have become "limitless" and spur "frivolous litigation from dark money special interest groups," he added.
Even so, he said: "This should be a bipartisan effort, and I think it will be a bipartisan effort."
- Rep. Scott Peters, a House Energy & Commerce Democrat, is seeking to persuade enough Democrats to support a permitting measure.
Reality check: Democrats largely oppose changing NEPA and are still fuming over the GOP reconciliation law that slashed tax credits for wind and solar.
- Natural Resources' ranking member, Jared Huffman, called NEPA a "cornerstone of democracy and good governance."
- White House staffing and funding cuts are the biggest reason that permitting reviews can drag, Huffman said.
What's next: Westerman hasn't released updated draft legislation but is eyeing this fall to begin discussions.
- Senate Energy and Natural Resources also is expected to discuss permitting proposals during a hearing Wednesday on rising electricity demand.
