James Morrone

Energy policy analyst at Americans for Prosperity

Die hard Isles fan, tortured Jets fan, and content Yankee fan.

[Jason Huffman @HuffmanJE]

Federal permitting reform represents a HISTORIC opportunity to turn West Virginia's energy advantage into MORE jobs, a BETTER economy, and STRONGER communities.

Congress should follow @SenCapito's bold leadership by adopting this LANDMARK legislation!

Let's get Washington out of the way so we can build West Virginia's future.

CC: @AFPWV, @AFPhq, @AFPGovAffairs

[Jack Blakely 🇺🇸 @jkbdco]

Solar has a place. Rooftops. Parking lots. Warehouses.

300,000 acres is a different story.

Virginia needs power that shows up at 7 a.m. in January. Build nuclear. Build gas. Build what's proven.

[Joshua Siegel @SiegelScribe]

Peters criticized progressives who say they could hold for a better deal next Congress if Dems win big in elections. "I don't think that works," he told me. "This is something that will really address the cost of energy. We have to do the best to corral those costs now."

[Alec Stapp @AlecStapp]

Kicking the can down the road on permitting reform would be a huge own goal.

Reforms take years to implement and the current bipartisan deal would be a major win for energy affordability.

Let’s get it done in lame duck.

[Alec Stapp @AlecStapp]

This bipartisan permitting reform deal is so good

[Shelley Moore Capito @SenCapito]

Honored to receive the Pioneer for Prosperity award this past week from @AFPhq.

[Alec Stapp @AlecStapp]

The NEPA litigation rates for major energy projects are insane.

And even for projects that are never litigated, the mere *risk* of lawsuits is enough to deter investment (and increase financing costs).

Permitting reform would address this abuse of the judicial process.

[Ethan aka The People’s Insider @EthanGSN]

What you guys don’t understand is that this team is tough and has leadership. What you guys don’t understand is that they need until Thanksgiving before we can REALLY judge them. You guys don’t GET IT, they need at least 1.5 seasons to learn DeBoer’s new system.

[Mike Lee @SenMikeLee]

Like Baja Blast.

[James Morrone @James_morrone]

This is some weak, "I am altering the deal. Pray I don't alter it any further" kinda nonsense.

Tell me you're an unserious person without saying it. Wack.

[Ari Natter @AriNatter]

NEW: The Senate's permitting deal could be in trouble in the House already.

Rep. Huffman, who set to lead the House’s natural resources committee if Dems take control, said the deal raises "significant concerns" that would have to be resolved before most Dems could support it.

[Ari Natter @AriNatter]

NEW: The Senate's permitting deal could be in trouble in the House already.

Rep. Huffman, who set to lead the House’s natural resources committee if Dems take control, said the deal raises "significant concerns" that would have to be resolved before most Dems could support it.

[AFP Government Affairs @AFPGovAffairs]

Yes, incredible work by Chairman @SenMikeLee, RM @SenatorHeinrich, Chairman @SenCapito, and RM @SenWhitehouse to move this forward. Thank you.

[AFP Government Affairs @AFPGovAffairs]

Incredible work done by the @EPWGOP staff and Chairman @SenCapito to make this a reality. Thank you!

[Ryan W. Norris @RWNorse]

America’s energy future should not be a political football, @SenateGOP and @SenateDems.

The American Affordability and Jobs Act is the product of bipartisan work on an issue that affects every American: whether we can build the energy infrastructure necessary to power our economy and strengthen our national security.

The Senate should keep working across the aisle to get permitting reform across the finish line.

The stakes are bigger than politics. America needs to build. The American people deserve action.

[Eric Bott @EricJBott]

Good read on the permitting reform compromise just announced in DC ⬇️

[James Morrone @James_morrone]

A solid breakdown of a what looks like a truly transformative bill.

Never thought this day would come!

[Aidan Mackenzie @AidanRMackenzie]

🚨 WE HAVE A PERMITTING DEAL🚨

And it is easily the best permitting bill we've ever gotten!

- The Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act is HUGE (400+ pages) and both sides got a LOT.

- The bill is much bigger and better than either Manchin post-IRA in 2022 or Manchin-Barrasso in 2024.

Once I finish reading the text I'll publish an explainer. For now, here are a few high level takeaways.

1. Transmission: The bill is absolutely HUGE for transmission, going further than Manchin-Barrasso. Includes: interregional transmission, limited federal backstop authority, interconnection queue reforms, directives for advanced grid-enhancing tech, and oversight of utilities. It's absolutely AMAZING all of this got in.

2. NEPA: The bill has BIG changes to NEPA, including fixes for judicial review that underpins the law's costs. Still reading but this is even better than I expected!

3. Certainty: The bill includes strong provisions to push back on misuse of permitting, like we're seeing with the admin's abuses against offshore wind.

4. Historic Preservation: The bill includes changes to the NHPA 106 process, including changes to judicial review that will help right-size the process.

5. Clean Water: The bill fixes problems with section 401 by adding new requirements for states and makes section 404 nationwide permits easier to comply with.

6. Geothermal: The bill includes big wins for geothermal, including parity with oil and gas catexs.

7. Mining: The bill fixes the "Rosemont decision"

8. Endangered Species: The bill creates a new path for states to take on endangered species consultation.

9. Hydro: Fixes for certain hydroelectric projects

10. Ratepayer protection: The bill adds protections for ratepayers from added data centers. Looks to be stronger than the House passed bill by quite a bit.

[James Morrone @James_morrone]

We FINALLY have a true permitting reform bill, and it's beautiful. I cannot express how much I LOVE the NEPA reforms, the CWA reforms, and the judicial review fixes. And some fun data center policies to boot

This bill will unlock SO MUCH NEW ENERGY, I LOVE IT

[Burgess Everett @burgessev]

It's the fall of 2048. Democrats and Republicans are on the cusp of a permitting reform deal, but they are still haggling over the details ...

[Joshua Siegel @SiegelScribe]

BREAKING: A senior Dem aide tells me the permitting deal is ON HOLD after staff re-read the text this am and found that language addressing five offshore wind projects Trump had attempted to stop "had changed substantially from the language that was originally negotiated."

[Tony SoprIslanders @IslesSopranos]

Finally game day #isles