As predicted
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Over the past few years we (editorial we) have pointed out that the Green’s ambitious plan to convert the count’s energy supply to one based entirely on windmills and sunbeams could never be accomplished by 2035 or any date close to that because federal environmental laws and private law suits to enforce it would stall any large scale projects for decades. Well, someone in Washington knows that, and knows how to fix it: nullify by executive order that part of the law that interferes with the Green Deal:
White House Slashes Environmental Restrictions for Biden's Pet Projects
(Institute for Energy Research)
The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) finalized a rule changing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to streamline permitting for infrastructure for renewable energy and transmission projects. NEPA, a 1969 law that requires environmental reviews for major projects, is a frequent focus of litigation that can delay construction for years. According to Biden’s CEQ, the Bipartisan Permitting Reform Implementation Rule will facilitate agencies moving faster on permits for infrastructure that can help the environment, thus ruling out fossil fuel projects which supply about 80 percent of the nation’s total energy. The rule sets deadlines and page limits for environmental reviews and establishes one lead agency to handle such reviews.
As part of the rule’s review process, climate impacts have to be considered as well as environmental justice — the movement to assist disadvantaged areas — and outreach to those places must be conducted.
