Op-Ed: Unleashing American Energy Requires Permitting Reform
Energy is the backbone of our economy and our way of life. From powering homes to fueling businesses, reliable and affordable energy keeps America moving forward. But today, outdated permitting rules are blocking the very projects we need to secure our future. Regulations that were designed to provide a fair process have turned into roadblocks. Instead of delivering better outcomes, they now drive up costs, stall job creation, and leave families footing the bill.
On average, major energy projects take more than six years to secure approval. Some transmission lines have been delayed as long as seventeen years. During that time, demand keeps rising, infrastructure keeps aging, and costs keep climbing. Transmission congestion alone cost American families $11.5 billion in 2023. Those costs show up in monthly utility bills and in lost opportunities for new jobs and investment.
Every state feels these challenges. In the Southeast, families have watched their power bills surge nearly 24 percent for households and 19 percent across all sectors in just the past decade. Families and businesses are paying more, while projects that could deliver cleaner, cheaper power are stuck in line. The result is a system where energy consumers pay the price of government inaction.
Permitting delays no longer make projects safer or cleaner. They simply make them more expensive and less certain. Developers spend years navigating duplicative reviews and endless litigation, often without a clear end in sight. This uncertainty discourages investment, slows innovation, and means fewer new projects break ground. At the same time, consumers lose out on the lower costs and greater reliability that come when competition and new supply are allowed to flourish.
The stakes are only getting higher. America’s energy demand is growing rapidly. Expanding industries like data centers, advanced manufacturing, and electric vehicles are adding new load to an already strained grid. Without timely upgrades to transmission and generation, costs will rise, reliability will suffer, and our ability to compete globally will weaken. We can’t afford to let red tape hold us back.
That’s why permitting reform is essential. A smarter, more predictable system would:
Set clear timelines so reviews can’t drag on for years without resolution.
Reduce duplication by designating a single lead agency to oversee major projects.
Focus reviews on major projects while letting routine, low-impact ones move quickly.
Prevent endless lawsuits by establishing fair but limited opportunities for judicial review.
These reforms won’t weaken environmental protections. They’ll simply make the process work. Americans deserve both strong environmental stewardship and an energy system that is affordable, reliable, and secure. With clearer rules and faster decisions, we can have both.
Permitting reform is about more than paperwork. It’s about lowering costs for families. It’s about creating jobs through new projects and infrastructure. And it’s about strengthening America’s energy independence so we’re never at the mercy of foreign supply chains or aging infrastructure.
We’ve always been a nation that builds. From railroads to highways to pipelines, our infrastructure has powered our growth and secured our future. But today, the greatest obstacle to building isn’t technology or resources, it’s bureaucracy. Red tape is holding America back at the exact moment when we need to unleash our full energy potential.
By cutting through the gridlock and modernizing our permitting system, Congress can deliver real results: affordable electricity, reliable power, secure supply, and new jobs. Families want it, businesses need it, and our future depends on it.
Permitting reform is not just a policy debate, it’s a national necessity. The time to act is now. Let’s fix permitting, unleash American energy, and secure a stronger future for every state.
Mark Fleming serves as President & CEO of Conservatives for Clean Energy, a Raleigh-based organization that works to advance clean energy policies throughout the Southeast.
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