US Senate advances energy permitting Bill opposed by some Democrats, tribes
AI generated
asserted
Senate → advance → Democrats
The US Senate voted to advance debate on a sweeping bipartisan energy permitting Bill on Nov 9, handing a victory to Democratic Senators Martin Heinrich and Sheldon Whitehouse as they seek to pass the ambitious infrastructure legislation before Congress adjourns.
asserted
Congress → vote → legislation
The Senate voted 73-25 to invoke cloture on a motion to proceed to the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act, clearing the way for debate on legislation that would speed approvals for power plants, transmission lines, mines and other infrastructure projects while requiring large data centres to pay more of the costs of grid upgrades needed to serve them.
asserted
that → vote → them
The vote marked an early test of whether the Bill’s Democratic sponsors could keep enough of their party aligned behind a measure opposed by some environmental and tribes but backed by labour unions and energy companies.
uncertain
enough → mark → unions
Heinrich of New Mexico and Whitehouse of Rhode Island co-authored the Bill with Republicans Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Mike Lee of Utah.
asserted
Heinrich → co → Utah
Ahead of the vote, Heinrich and Whitehouse argued that changes unveiled over the weekend had addressed many of the concerns raised by tribes, utilities and environmental groups while preserving the Bill’s goal of lowering electricity costs.
asserted
changes → argue → costs
The package added requirements for consultation with tribes, expanded states’ role in transmission planning and established a new Department of Energy programme to provide communities with assistance on data-centre impacts.
The senators also pushed back on suggestions that Democrats should shelve the legislation until 2027, arguing the measure would deliver near-term savings on electricity costs and provide a foundation for additional environmental legislation under a Democratic-controlled Congress.
asserted
measure → add → Congress
“This Bill is the floor, not the ceiling, of our climate and environmental aspirations,” Whitehouse said at a press conference.
asserted
Whitehouse → say → conference
“We look forward to working to accomplish big things with our big Democratic majorities.”
asserted
We → look → majorities
The legislation still faces opposition from environmental and Native American groups.
asserted
legislation → face → groups
The National Congress of American Indians, the largest advocacy group for tribes, on Nov 9 urged Congress to halt consideration of the Bill, saying it would weaken tribal sovereignty and protections for sacred sites.
asserted
it → urge → sites
Heinrich said the changes strengthened tribal protections by requiring federal agencies to consult with tribes throughout the permitting process, giving tribes an equal role with states in transmission planning and expanding opportunities to object to projects affecting cultural resources.
asserted
changes → say → resources
“We worked to strengthen that dramatically,” he said.
asserted
he → work → that
Environmental group League of Conservation Voters and the left-leaning think tank Centre for American Progress said the changes were improvements but the Bill still carries significant risks for public lands and environmental protections.
A better deal?
Several green groups moved quickly to criticise the vote.
“The Democrats supporting this Bill are sleepwalking into catastrophe by handing Trump virtually unlimited power to further entrench fossil fuels and enrich data centre tech oligarchs in the last two years of his presidency,” Brett Hartl, government affairs director at the Centre for Biological Diversity, said in a statement.
asserted
Hartl → lean → statement
Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts, a leading voice on environmental issues in the Senate, voted against the measure and said he looked forward to debate on the issue in the next Congress.
“Voters sent a clear message last week that they want better deals than the ones they’ve gotten under unified Republican leadership,” Markey said in a statement.
asserted
Markey → lead → statement
“I believe we owe it to them to fight to win a better deal that delivers clean energy megawatts and jobs, near- and long-term savings on energy bills, and real climate benefits without leaving so many important members of our community on the losing side of the ledger.”
asserted
that → believe → ledger
Nevada Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto supported opening debate on the Bill but said she would oppose final passage unless provisions affecting the National Historic Preservation Act are removed, citing tribal concerns.
asserted
provisions → support → concerns
If the Bill succeeds in passing the Senate, it would still need approval in the House of Representatives.
asserted
it → succeed → Representatives
Whitehouse expressed confidence about the Bill’s prospects in the Republican-controlled House, citing the Bill’s support from President Donald Trump.
asserted
Whitehouse → express → Trump
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, asked at a press conference whether he would support the Bill, said it was “still under review.”
asserted
it → ask → review