The Aporia
The Aporia
McDonnell, T. (2026, October 29). Democrats divided on timing for permitting reform. Semafor. https://www.semafor.com/article/10/29/2026/democrats-divided-on-timing-for-permitting-reform
McDonnell, Tim. “Democrats divided on timing for permitting reform.” Semafor, 29 Oct. 2026, https://www.semafor.com/article/10/29/2026/democrats-divided-on-timing-for-permitting-reform.
McDonnell, Tim. “Democrats divided on timing for permitting reform.” Semafor, October 29, 2026. https://www.semafor.com/article/10/29/2026/democrats-divided-on-timing-for-permitting-reform.
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Leading Democrats are divided on whether to proceed now or wait until after the midterm elections to pass a bipartisan permitting reform bill. A group of left-leaning Senate Democrats and environmental groups want the White House to restore clean energy funding before voting, while former President Joe Biden’s climate advisor John Podesta warns that the bill could be easily used by former President Donald Trump to push through fossil fuel projects. However, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and Tom Steyer urge Congress to move forward immediately due to potential benefits like boosting household income and accelerating electrification, as forecasted by a White House study and Columbia University researchers. These same researchers caution that the bill could weaken government oversight powers, make environmental harms harder to reverse, and delay noticeable reductions in electric bills for years after new infrastructure projects start.
Leading Democrats are divided on whether to press forward now on a bipartisan permitting reform bill, or wait and try for more concessions after the midterm elections.
