Oil Companies Realize That This President Blocking Wind Farms Could Mean Another President Blocking Refineries
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Permitting reform is a shorthand for overhauling how infrastructure projects are vetted and authorized under a constellation of laws including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Clean Air and Water acts. Companies have argued for decades that onerous restrictions make it too difficult to build infrastructure such as big energy projects, power lines and highways. They particularly want shorter time limits for filing lawsuits to challenge their permits.
Democrats want assurances written into the law that projects will be evaluated fairly, regardless of whether they involve oil, gas, wind or solar energy. They, along with industry, also want guarantees that once a permit is issued, it cannot later be revoked just because another political party wins the White House.
Energy firms across the board, including oil companies, are trying to stop the war on wind in exchange for a more stable and predictable business environment. “If you’ve got a project that’s gotten all of its approvals and started construction, there ought to be some kind of safe harbor, so that we don’t have the next administration coming back and rethinking or stopping it,” said Marty Durbin, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Energy Institute. “All sides here, the oil and gas industry, the renewables industry, and everyone else involved are saying, ‘Yeah, we all get it,’” he added.
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Headed into the midterm elections later this year, the White House is also feeling pressure to respond to voters’ concerns about rising prices and affordability, including ballooning electricity bills. PJM, the electricity authority in 13 states and the District of Columbia, said last week in a court filing that delaying Dominion Energy’s Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project will hurt the 67 million customers in their region. Those concerns are real, as PJM struggles to maintain electricity capacity at 20 percent above peak demand, said Hoos, the energy analyst, a margin that ensures there will be enough power to prevent blackouts even in a crisis. In its most recent auction with electricity producers, PJM has been able to reach only 15 percent above peak demand. CVOW could help close the gap.
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2026/01/21/trump-war-on-wind-setbacks/
https://wapo.st/3YPmLe4