Peace Garden News

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR), joined Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), ranking member of the ENR Committee, in introducing the Spur Permitting of Underdeveloped Resources (SPUR) Act. This legislation would make key reforms and provide regulatory relief to increase domestic energy and mineral development, ensure federal lands remain open to productive uses and streamline permitting of energy infrastructure. The SPUR Act includes three permitting reform priorities led by Hoeven:  

• Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Mineral Spacing Act, which would remove duplicative BLM permitting regulations and better respect the rights of private mineral holders. 
• North American Energy Act, a bill to prevent unnecessary delays for important cross-border energy projects, such as pipelines and electrical transmission lines.
• Promoting Interagency Coordination for Review of Natural Gas Projects Act, legislation that would streamline and set deadlines for multi-agency National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews of natural gas projects needed to get energy to market.

“Meaningful permitting reform is long overdue in our country, and the SPUR Act will address the burdensome and costly regulations that are delaying critical energy, infrastructure and transportation projects across America,” said Senator Hoeven. “Reforming the broken permitting and environmental review processes will create jobs, enhance our geopolitical competitiveness, and bring down costs for hardworking families through increased American energy production and greater energy security.” 

“American energy can no longer be held hostage. That’s exactly what’s happening under the Biden administration. Environmental extremists are manipulating a broken permitting process. The bills Senator Capito and I are introducing will fix this problem,” ENR Ranking Member Barrasso said. “We need to lower prices for American families and unleash American energy. The way to do that is to impose strict deadlines and stop endless litigation. We must also block the administration from hijacking the permitting process to kill worthy projects. Our current system stifles development and undermines American energy security. Americans still know how to build things. Today’s broken process won’t allow it. That must change.”

In addition to Hoeven and Barrasso, the SPUR Act is cosponsored by Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Ranking Member of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee and every Republican member of the ENR Committee, including Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.).

Earlier this week, Senator Hoeven delivered remarks on the Senate floor outlining the need for permitting reform and regulatory relief in order to unlock the nation’s energy potential. Click here to watch Senator Hoeven’s floor remarks. 

Original source can be found here.