Staff Reports
The Biden years made slow permitting a feature, not a bug. This week, the Trump administration made a clear, practical move to change that. At the AUSA annual meeting, top agency officials announced plans to speed approvals for pipelines, transmission lines and other energy infrastructure. That action is long overdue and could help keep the lights on while Congress dithers.
What the agencies actually announced
Officials from the Army Corps of Engineers, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Interior Department told the AUSA audience they are using existing authority to clear delays. D. Lee Forsgren, the senior civil works official at the Army Corps, said the Corps will send a rulemaking package to the White House Office of Management and Budget to expand the use of Nationwide Permits. The Corps wants to raise certain disturbance limits from the current half-acre ceiling toward as much as two acres and aim to finish eligible reviews in roughly 45 days. Interior Deputy Secretary Kate MacGregor was blunt: litigation is choking transmission and pipeline work and the agencies need “aggressive action” to fix it.
Why fast permits matter for grid reliability and jobs
This is not just about getting construction firms moving faster. The Department of Energy’s recent national transmission study shows demand is surging from data centers, factories and new industry. Aging wires and long wait times for approvals make the grid fragile. Faster permitting for power lines and pipelines means more reliable power, more factory openings, and fewer surprise outages that harm hospitals, farms and families. That’s practical policy, not ideology.
Yes, there are tradeoffs — but the status quo failed us
Let’s not pretend this will be painless. Expanding Nationwide Permits will draw lawsuits and pushback from environmental groups who say NWPs are only for minimal impacts. EPA’s push to delegate more permitting to states could speed approvals in some places while creating uneven rules nationwide. Fine. The real question is whether we accept years-long delays as normal. If Washington wants to keep projects hostage to endless reviews and court fights, expect more blackouts and stalled investment. If the Trump team can tighten rules thoughtfully, they will reduce legal uncertainty and get projects built sooner.
What comes next and why voters should care
The Corps must formally publish the proposed rule and the Federal Register will show the details. Congress could pass a broader permitting bill to lock in faster timelines and limit some legal challenges, but that may not happen quickly. Until then, administrative action is the sensible path. Voters who want reliable power, stronger supply chains and real economic growth should cheer an administration willing to fix the bureaucratic choke points. Washington has had plenty of time to fuss — it’s past time to build.
