President of Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES) Heather Reams testified before the House Committee on Natural Resources recently to strongly advocate for robust permitting reform. The legislative hearing focused on draft legislation from Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) who is developing bipartisan policies to modernize and streamline our nation’s outdated permitting processes, including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Reams also highlighted the need for modernizing permitting reform in her most recent op-ed in the Washington Examiner, “Permitting Reform Will Help Lower Emissions.”
During the hearing, Reams underscored the urgent need to fix the broken federal permitting process, which she described as a major obstacle to unlocking America’s clean energy potential. She noted the current permitting system, marred by red tape and excessive delays, is undermining America’s ability to lead in clean energy innovation on the global stage. Reams emphasized that modernizing the permitting system is critical for meeting growing our energy demand, boosting our economic competitiveness, bringing back our manufacturing dominance and realizing environmental progress.
“America is falling behind,” said Reams, “but with these reforms, we can not only meet our growing energy needs, we can reignite American innovation and strengthen our competitive edge on the world stage.”
Reams urged bipartisan support for these proposals, emphasizing that swift action is needed to foster an environment where American-made energy solutions can thrive. She concluded by reaffirming CRES’ commitment to working with Congress to ensure these critical reforms are enacted, driving forward innovation, job creation and environmental progress, while reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens. Watch the full hearing HERE.