Manchin’s energy permit bill could be attached to defense bill
A previously-stalled legislative effort to fast-track energy projects backed by West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin could be attached to a must-pass defense bill after a last minute push by Democratic leadership, people familiar with the effort said.
Negotiations about attaching the legislation, which could speed approval of Equitrans Midstream Corp.'s stalled $6.6 billion Mountain Valley natural gas pipeline in Manchin s home state, to the National Defense Authorization Act, were ongoing at the leadership level and a final decision is yet to be made, the people said.
The legislation could be similar to an effort by Manchin in September that would speed up the approval of clean-energy, pipeline and electricity transmission projects by shortening federal environmental reviews and setting limits on court challenges.
A bid to attach the energy-permitting package was dropped from the Senate earlier this year after it became apparent it didn't have the votes. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and President Joe Biden promised Manchin that he would attach his permitting measure in exchange for his crucial vote on a climate and tax package in August.
Read more: Manchin drops plan to put permit plan in government funding bill.
The defense policy bill is considered a must-pass because it allows for pay increases as well as compensation for troops in harm s way and is widely supported by Republicans. It also sets personnel, weapons-buying and geopolitical policies. The final compromise measure was negotiated behind closed doors by the leaders of the Senate and House Armed Services Committees and Senate and House leadership this year.
The legislation is going to get a House vote later this week amid a lobbying battle by environmental groups to keep the permitting language out of the bill.
They are using backdoor, end-of-night tactics to get something done that Congress had already rejected, said Erich Pica, president of Friends of the Earth. Included the Manchin permitting package would be a significant strike on Speaker Pelosi's environmental and climate record. Representatives of Pelosi and Schumer didn't respond immediately to a request for comment. A Manchin spokeswoman wouldn't say anything.