Today, the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will hold a markup of Senator Joe Manchin and Senator John Barrasso’s Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024. The bill would increase oil and gas extraction on public lands, undo the Biden administration’s Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) pause, and facilitate the construction of more fossil fuel infrastructure that would lock us into decades of fossil fuels use. Additionally, it would reverse long-standing precedent on how mining operations are conducted on public lands and limit the ability of local communities to seek justice in the courts.

In anticipation of the markup, Earthjustice Vice President of Policy and Legislation Raúl García issued the following statement:

“This bill may have a different name, but it’s the same fossil fuel giveaway we’ve seen before, consistently putting profits over communities. It was crafted in the backrooms of Washington and rushed to a committee vote without a legislative process, preventing those most impacted by its provisions from making their voices heard. It’s concerning that too many leaders in Washington are willing to quickly greenlight polluting projects for industries with a clear record of contaminating our air and water while minimizing the concerns of those forced to deal with the consequences. Instead of doing the bidding of fossil fuel companies that care nothing about the energy transition, we need real solutions that help us build out clean energy infrastructure while protecting communities.”

Yesterday, over 360 climate and environmental groups sent a letter to U.S. Senators opposing the bill.

Additionally, several environmental justice leaders released statements opposing the bill.