FIRST ON FOX: New research published Friday morning and shared on Fox News Digital sheds light on a growing backlog of energy projects that has been slowed by the cumbersome permitting process.
The research — published by the right-leaning Americans for Prosperity in a series of state-level reports — highlighted 30 energy projects in six states that have been under development for years and, in some case, over a decade, largely due to environmental regulations. . The group reviewed traditional and green energy projects that have the potential to lower costs and boost energy security for consumers.
“The runaway regulations are holding back countless energy projects that would make life more affordable for American families,” Americans for Prosperity regulatory policy fellow Marc Marie told Fox News Digital . “President Biden’s crusade against affordable energy has only made the problem worse. Oil and gas prices are rising, home energy prices are through the roof, and Americans are paying more for lower.
“This study shows project after project has been plagued by allowing delays that would have lowered Americans’ energy bills if they had been built,” Marie continued. “The American people are counting on Congress to end top-down policies that stifle production and make real permitting reforms to unleash our nation’s energy resources.”
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Solar panel installers are pictured on August 11, 2022, in Massapequa, New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)
Energy policy experts with Americans for Prosperity, in collaboration with data scientists with regulatory intelligence firm ARBO, focused specifically on projects in Arizona, Ohio, Montana, Nevada, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Reports have highlighted how red tape is delaying fossil fuel, wind, solar, hydropower, transmission line and mining projects and the negative economic effects of slowing such projects.
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“Nationwide, America is struggling to grapple with inflation, and the cost of keeping the lights on is not exempt from these rising costs,” the state reports. “The factors that affect energy utility prices can vary depending on where you live and how your local energy system is set up.”
“Allowing delays for new pipelines, refineries, and mining and drilling will unnecessarily raise utility bills and pump prices,” they continued. “When projects are held up by permit delays or litigation, it can cause companies to face a decision to abandon critical projects that will increase energy abundance with little or even positive impact on the environment .”
According to research, projects are often slowed or stalled by regulations that open the door to environmental litigation, increased costs imposed by regulations, uncertainty caused by red tape, burdens on administrative and a chilling effect created by regulations that discourage further investment.
Steel pipes for the Mountain Valley Pipeline, a natural gas project in West Virginia, are pictured. Congress fast-tracked the project earlier this year after it faced years of delays and unfavorable court rulings. (Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images)
In one example, the Resolution Copper mine located about 60 miles east of Phoenix was first proposed in 2013 but has been repeatedly delayed by the environmental permitting process and ongoing litigation. The project is expected to create 1,500 jobs once operational, generate another 2,200 indirect jobs and provide up to $61 billion in economic value for Arizona over its 60-year lifespan.
If approved, the project would be the largest copper mine in North America and produce up to 25% of domestic copper supplies. Copper is an important mineral needed for a wide range of green energy projects.
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Additionally, research released Friday showed how environmental permitting has slowed the Yellow Pine Solar project, a proposed 500-megawatt solar project in Clark County, Nevada, with enough capacity to power 100,000 homes. . While the project is under construction, its first right-of-way application was filed more than a decade ago in 2011 and has been delayed by environmental reviews and lawsuits.
In another example, the Constitution Pipeline, a proposed 120-mile natural gas pipeline that would run from Pennsylvania to New York, was abandoned in 2020 after a year-long permitting process. The $700 million project would have created 2,400 jobs, more than $13 million in tax revenue and brought in 500,000 dekatherms of natural gas per day, according to estimates.
And a fourth example, the Gordon Butte Pumped Storage Hydro Project, is a $1 billion closed-loop pumped storage hydroelectricity facility proposed for Meagher County, Montana. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted the project a preliminary environmental permit in 2013, but the project is targeted to enter operation in 2029.
Sen. Joe Manchin, DW.Va., the chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, has sought for months to pass bipartisan reform legislation. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The Americans for Prosperity report comes as Republicans and Democrats continue to negotiate permitting reform legislation aimed at significantly reducing the amount of time the permitting process takes for energy projects.
In May, Sen. Joe Manchin, DW.Va., who chairs the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, reintroduced his Building American Energy Security Act. His office said the legislation is intended to serve as a starting point for upcoming conversations in Congress about “reforming energy permitting to ensure America’s energy security and independence.”
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Manchin first introduced the Building American Energy Security Act in September 2022 after Congress passed it, and President Biden signed, the Inflation Reduction Act. The law was billed as a necessary counterpart to the IRA, ensuring that green energy projects supported by that bill would receive faster federal approval.
After the legislation stalled, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., agreed in December to attach it to the annual National Defense Authorization Act in a move supported by Biden and green energy groups but opposed by environmental groups. However, in a 47-47 vote with 40 Democrats and seven Republicans voting in favor of the bill, the Senate rejected the amendment.
