The July 27th announced agreement by Democratic Senate leaders for a sweeping $369-billion clean energy and carbon reduction spending package sets the stage for a host of permit process changes that could benefit dozens of natural gas, electric transmission and other projects—including the controversial $6-billion Mountain Valley natural gas pipeline in West Virginia and Virginia.
Some broad details of the permitting reforms pushed by Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va) to gain his signoff of the deal with Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) were revealed by Manchin's office on Aug. 1. These are to be part of a separate bill aimed for enactment by Sept. 30.