ACP Issues Statement on DOI’s New Review Procedures for Energy Projects

The American Clean Power Association (ACP) has issued a statement regarding the new lengthy review procedures from the Department of the Interior regarding solar and wind development: 

“The recently released memo from the Interior Department is a bewildering departure from the Administration’s promise to bring down energy prices and make America competitive in the race against China for AI and data centers. In stark contradiction to the Administration’s commitment to tackling bureaucracy, this directive adds three new layers of needless process and unprecedented political review to the construction of domestic energy projects. The Secretary of the Interior will apparently now be personally reviewing thousands of documents and permit applications for everything from the location and types of fences to the grading of access roads on construction sites across the country.  

This intentional effort to slow energy production comes at the worst possible moment. U.S. electricity demand is projected to surge 35-50% by 2040, with data centers alone requiring over 100 GW of new capacity. To meet this demand, America needs a true ‘all of the above’ strategy, which includes additional natural gas and intense efforts to accelerate geothermal and advanced nuclear technologies.   

Clean energy represented 93% of new capacity added to the grid last year because these sources are the best way to meet demand right now. It’s basic economics that cutting off the fastest and most affordable energy available to the grid just as demand surges will constrain our energy supply and lead to significant cost increases for American businesses and families. This isn’t oversight. It’s obstruction that will needlessly harm the fastest growing sources of electric power. The move is particularly confounding as we look to the Administration to support bipartisan efforts in Congress to streamline permitting for all sources of American energy.”