Division has spread within the environmentalist movement since the Senate released a bipartisan bill to accelerate approvals for energy infrastructure projects, with some organizations opposing it because it could accelerate the development of fossil fuel projects.
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it → spread → projects
The dissension is an obstacle to the bill’s passage in the House and Senate during the lame-duck session, as some groups have already begun lobbying Democratic members to vote against the legislation.
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groups → begin → legislation
The bill, called the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act, is meant to reform the federal permitting process.
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bill → call → process
It was negotiated by some of the top climate hawks in the Democratic Party, who argue that it would make it easier to connect renewable energy sources to the grid.
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it → negotiate → grid
But, to win the votes of Republicans, it also includes measures that would facilitate the development of fossil fuels.
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that → win → fuels
On Monday, more than 200 environmental and climate organizations sent a letter to Democratic leadership, urging the caucus to prevent the bill from advancing out of Congress this year, claiming the concessions made in the bill outweigh the benefits.
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concessions → send → benefits
Organizations such as the Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Earth US, Greenpeace, and the Western Environmental Law Center signed on to the message.
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Organizations → sign → message
Noticeably, though, some of the largest environmental organizations were not listed, including the League of Conservation Voters, Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Defense Fund, and the Nature Conservancy.
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some → list → Voters
In fact, some of these groups have avoided saying anything public about the legislation altogether.
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some → avoid → legislation
And still other outside groups have given strong support to the legislation.
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groups → give → legislation
The Washington Examiner analyzed 25 major environmental and climate organizations that have engaged in permitting reform discussions over the last couple of years and detailed who specifically is in support of the new bipartisan bill and who wishes to kill it.
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who → analyze → it
Center for Biological Diversity
The Center for Biological Diversity has voiced its opposition to the BAAJA and was a key driver behind the Monday letter sent to Democrats.
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Center → voice → Democrats
The group also helped send two letters to Democratic lawmakers opposing reforms to the Endangered Species Act and Clean Water Act.
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group → help → Act
The CBD has claimed the legislation would “provide massive long-term structural advantages to the fossil fuel industry and minimal short-term improvements to electricity transmission policy that might marginally benefit renewable energy.”
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that → claim → energy
Earthjustice
Earthjustice did not sign on to the Monday letter and has praised portions of the bill.
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Earthjustice → sign → bill
Specifically, the group said the legislation is a “genuine policy breakthrough” for building out transmission infrastructure and grid modernization to bring more renewable projects online.
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legislation → say → projects
However, Earthjustice said that, in its current form, the bill “asks too high a price for progress” and makes trade-offs that won’t support clean energy development.
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that → say → development
The Sierra Club did not sign on to the Monday letter and has issued a more nuanced response to the bill.
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Club → sign → bill
Rather than directly endorsing or opposing the legislation, the Sierra Club identified what it called “three green flags” and “four red flags.”
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it → endorse → what
The group supported measures regarding transmission planning, the federal government’s ability to step in to assist with transmission, and codifying protections for utility ratepayers from data center growth.
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group → support → growth
It criticized provisions reforming the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act, as well as measures establishing permit certainty for fossil fuel projects.
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It → criticize → projects
Environmental Defense Fund
The Environmental Defense Fund has not issued a public statement in support or opposition to the bipartisan permitting bill and did not sign the Monday letter.
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Fund → issue → letter
The group did not respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.
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group → respond → comment
Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
The Center for Climate and Energy Solutions has spoken in favor of the BAAJA, calling it a “critical step forward in modernizing our nation’s electric grid
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Center → speak → grid
“We need to build new energy infrastructure in America, and build it fast, to meet the challenges and opportunities of the moment,” C2ES added.
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C2ES → need → moment
“These reforms will help make that possible.”
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that → help → ?
Friends of the Earth US
Friends of the Earth has voiced its opposition to the bipartisan permitting bill and signed on to the Oct. 5 letter to Democrats.
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Friends → voice → Democrats
The group said the legislation “eviscerates” parts of the Clean Water Act, weakens the Endangered Species Act, benefits oil and gas companies, and doesn’t do enough to address data centers.
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legislation → say → centers
The Natural Resources Defense Council did not sign on to the Monday letter and has said permitting reform is necessary.
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reform → sign → letter
The group has not directly said whether it supports or opposes the bill but has said there are “stark tradeoffs being made” based on the text released last month.
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it → say → text
The transmission provisions contained in the bill are desperately needed; the question is do those benefits outweigh the cost of the rollbacks to the foundational environmental laws of this country,” the NRDC said in a release.
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NRDC → contain → release
Greenpeace
Greenpeace signed on to the Monday letter but has not issued any additional statement regarding its opposition to the bill.
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Greenpeace → sign → bill
Western Environmental Law Center
The Western Environmental Law Center has publicly opposed the bipartisan legislation and signed on to the Monday letter, as well as two other letters to Democrats opposing provisions reforming the Endangered Species Act and Clean Water Act.
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Center → oppose → Act
The group has said the bill, if passed, “would prove to be the largest rollback of environmental and public health protections in U.S. history.”
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bill → say → history
National Wildlife Federation
The National Wildlife Federation has not issued a public statement in support or opposition to the bipartisan permitting bill and did not sign the Monday letter.
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Federation → issue → letter
When asked for comment, the group told the Washington Examiner it was still analyzing the bill and that it plans to “be in touch with members of Congress” before a permitting reform proposal is taken up after the midterm elections.
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proposal → ask → elections
Trust for Public Land
Trust for Public Land has not issued a public statement in support or opposition to the bill, and did not sign the Monday letter.
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Trust → issue → letter
The group was one of several environmental organizations identified as attending a call last week that aimed to identify strategies to kill the legislation.
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that → identify → legislation
Trust for Public Land did not respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.
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Trust → respond → comment
The Environmental Law and Policy Center signed on to the Monday letter opposing the bipartisan permitting legislation, but has indicated support for some measures detailed in the bill.
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Center → sign → bill
…and 41 more, not listed.
The Aporia
