What’s at stake: energy’s stuck in the slow lane
Think about an item you rely on every day – your car, your stovetop, your heat in winter. Now imagine those items taking almost a decade to be approved, built, and ready for use.
This is the reality of America’s permitting system.
Passed in the 1970s, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) was designed to ensure federal projects – like highways, pipelines, and power plants – remained environmentally conscious. However, as America and our demand for energy has grown, the system has struggled to keep up.
To put this into perspective, when NEPA was passed, America’s population was around 200 million. It is now at nearly 345 million people.
As population increases, so does demand for energy.
What was once a safeguard for American projects is now a 4.5-year process filled with lawsuits, delayed paperwork, and millions of dollars down the drain before a shovel even hits the ground.
During the coldest months, delayed energy projects strain our grids and drive-up household bills. But with an updated permitting system, new energy infrastructures can be built – and families can afford to stay warm without breaking the bank.
Permitting delays hit household bills
Every winter, families rely on heat to keep their homes safe and loved ones healthy. As temperatures drop, heat isn’t just a luxury for families – it’s a necessity.
But the infrastructures needed for this – pipelines and powerplants – are the very systems that face years of delays from NEPA.
These delays affect families first-hand. Each year a project gets delayed adds millions in expenses, which ultimately show up in families’ monthly energy bills. Delayed infrastructure also tightens energy supply, leaving grids strained and vulnerable when it is needed most to power our heat.
With an updated permitting system, more reliable energy systems can be built, supporting families who need it most.
We’re a fast-moving world stuck in a slow-moving system
Winter isn’t the only thing demanding more energy. As our economy and technology evolve, so should the systems that support them. Artificial intelligence and data centers are at the precipice of how our modern world operates – and they also require a lot of energy.
With how fast our world is moving, an outdated system doesn’t cut it anymore.
Data centers alone are projected to double or even triple their electricity use by 2028 – and U.S. demand for energy is expected to rise by nearly 50% by 2040. Under our current permitting system, energy demand is growing increasingly faster than the infrastructure needed to support it.
We cannot have a system holding us back.
So, modernizing NEPA isn’t just about keeping families warm this winter, it’s about powering the homes and businesses that push our country forward.
When infrastructure is built faster, costs go down
Permitting delays directly affect every type of energy source – whether it’s natural gas pipelines or transmission lines needed to support wind and solar power.
So, a modernized permitting system doesn’t mean eliminating certain energy sources. It can exist with balance: setting clear timelines to eliminate delays while keeping strong environmental safeguards. Faster approvals bring more energy infrastructure, stronger grid reliability, and lower costs for families.
With an updated NEPA, infrastructures supporting all energy sources can move forward efficiently, allowing us to stay on-speed with our quickly evolving country while delivering reliable and affordable energy.
CEA Bottomline
Our country cannot afford to keep living with outdated systems.
It’s simple: the delays caused by outdated permitting systems directly hurt American families, businesses, and consumers. Businesses can’t afford to be held back, and families can’t afford costly energy bills – especially during the winter.
As energy demand continues to grow at home and within our economy, projects being “delayed” is not an option anymore.
Modernizing NEPA shouldn’t have to be about politics. It’s about keeping up with our ever-evolving country and the citizens that support it.