In a statement, the DOI said the emergency procedures would apply to fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal, uranium, geothermal, critical minerals, biofuels and kinetic hydropower projects.
By Reuters
April 23 (Reuters) – The Trump administration on Wednesday said it would implement an emergency permitting process for energy and mining projects on federal lands, slashing approval times that typically take months or years to at most 28 days.
The U.S. Department of the Interior move is in response to President Donald Trump’s national energy emergency declaration, which he made on his first day in office to speed permitting in an effort to boost domestic energy supplies, bring down fuel prices and bolster national security.
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In a statement, the DOI said the emergency procedures would apply to fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal, uranium, geothermal, critical minerals, biofuels and kinetic hydropower projects.
It did not list solar energy, which leads all other sources in U.S. electric capacity additions. Wind energy, which Trump has called expensive and ugly, was also omitted.
“The United States cannot afford to wait,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in the statement.
“By reducing a multi-year permitting process down to just 28 days, the department will lead with urgency, resolve, and a clear focus on strengthening the nation’s energy independence,” said Burgum.