WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY: Good afternoon and Happy Hanukkah, readers! We’re kicking off another week with you guessed it…more news on permitting reform 🗞️.
White House National Energy Dominance Council Executive Director Jarrod Agen spoke at the Center for Strategic and International Studies this morning, highlighting the critical role of permitting in expanding domestic production of critical minerals 🪨. Agen also suggested that the administration could consider deals with other critical mineral companies.
Keep reading to see which environmental permitting law one cabinet member wishes to see reformed.
This week, Callie and Maydeen are keeping a close eye on the Hill as lawmakers will take on the SPEED Act – a key piece of legislation that would reshape the federal permitting process 🏛️.
Welcome to Daily on Energy, written by Washington Examiner energy and environment writers Callie Patteson (@CalliePatteson) and Maydeen Merino (@MaydeenMerino). Email cpatteson@washingtonexaminer dot com or mmerino@washingtonexaminer dot com for tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. If a friend sent this to you and you’d like to sign up, click here. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email, and we’ll add you to our list.
WHITE HOUSE NATIONAL ENERGY DOMINANCE COUNCIL TALKS PERMITTING AND CRITICAL MINERALS: Permitting and judicial reforms are essential to growing the critical minerals industry, White House National Energy Dominance Council executive director Jarrod Agen said at a Center for Strategic and International Studies event this morning.
The Trump administration has taken a broad approach to boost critical mineral production and reduce the United States’ reliance on China, which controls 90% of the global supply chain. The administration has entered into deals with foreign countries to diversify mineral supply, taken stakes in mining companies, and fast-tracked mineral projects through the Permitting Council.
However, Agen said President Donald Trump is “tired” of litigation stalling mining projects.
“We can do a lot on permitting to expedite permitting, and we can do FAST-41 to get things through the bureaucracy,” Agen said. “But if people are using the legal system to shut these things down, that’s what the president knows is a huge, massive problem, so he’s willing to use his authority to move these things faster.”
Agen said the administration is working with Congress to help streamline the permitting process.
He added that the most effective approach to boost critical minerals, thus far, is for the president to wield his authority to move projects faster. For example, Trump signed an executive order in March to boost the domestic production of critical minerals for national security.
Meanwhile, throughout the year, the administration has taken stakes in several minerals companies, including MP Materials, Lithium Americas, and Trilogy Metals. Agen said that the administration will continue to make these private-public partnerships.
“You’re going to see throughout this administration, historic deals when it comes to critical minerals, historic partnerships with the private sector, and then really a revitalization of mining in this country,” Agen said.
AND FINALLY…SPEED ACT HEADING TO THE FLOOR: House Natural Resources chairman Bruce Westerman’s bid to reform the National Environmental Policy Act is finally being put to the test this week, as lawmakers are poised to consider the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act – better known as the SPEED Act.
The details: The bill, which would overhaul and simplify the 55-year-old law’s approval process for projects requiring federal permits, is being taken up by the House Rules committee this afternoon. The committee meeting will set the terms for floor debate, including how long it will be discussed, if amendments can be added, and whether lawmakers will have a last chance to rewrite any text before it heads to the floor.
If advanced out of the committee, the bill could be put to a floor vote Wednesday or Thursday.
The pushback: Today’s meeting will offer some hard-right conservatives another chance to tank the legislation, as several members of the House Freedom Caucus claim the bill could benefit offshore wind projects.
These conservative critics, including Texas Rep. Chip Roy, are targeting an amendment that would limit the president’s ability to revoke permits for certain projects, including renewables.
Westerman has said he has no intention of removing the language, affirming that certainty across projects is critical to pass any meaningful permitting reform this Congress.
If you need a refresher on all the ins and outs of NEPA, check out Callie’s reporting here. Plus, you can find everything you need to know on the SPEED Act here.
NEPA IS A ‘MASSIVE PROBLEM,’ CHRIS WRIGHT SAYS: NEPA reform has support of the Trump administration, as Energy Secretary Chris Wright advocated for just that this morning.
During the American Leadership in Energy Innovation Summit in Washington today, Wright echoed criticisms that NEPA has opened the door for extensive legal challenges, slowing domestic infrastructure development. To Wright, the existing law has become a “massive problem.”
When NEPA was passed in 1970, Wright said, its primary purpose was to serve as a “check,” requiring projects touching federal lands or federal funds to review what the effect on the environment could be.
“It got turned into something completely different,” he said. “This is a weaponization, a 10-year legal stop on anyone from building anything by suing them on NEPA. That’s not what NEPA was about to begin with.”
Read more from Callie here.
PLUS…WRIGHT OPTIMISTIC ON ELECTRICITY PRICES: Over the weekend, Wright sought to alleviate concerns about rising electricity bills, insisting that electricity prices will stop rising “very soon.”
The details: During an interview with Fox News Sunday’s Jacqui Heinrich on Sunday, Wright said the administration was doing everything it can to stop the rise of electricity prices that he claimed was caused by Biden administration policies.
He attributed the recent price hikes to the Biden administration’s decision to shut down aging coal plants, as well as natural gas-fired power plants.
“Very soon, you’ll see a stop of the rise of electricity prices,” Wright said. “And with the continuation of Trump policies of energy addition, you will see declines in electricity prices later this term.”
Some context: During its first year, the second Trump administration heavily prioritized extending the life of several coal-fired plants while also bolstering the oil and gas industry’s ability to expand. Simultaneously, the administration has moved to support the development of new nuclear energy to meet growing demands.
There is some speculation, however, that due to extensive delays for gas turbines and the lengthy timelines to get nuclear online, those additions to the grid will not be able to meet short-term energy needs. Without leaning on renewables like wind and solar, or hybrid power solutions such as solar, battery storage, and gas peakers, many energy experts doubt that electricity demand can be filled.
HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES TO HOLD HEARING ON GEOTHERMAL: The House Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing tomorrow to discuss several bills that would speed up the permitting process for geothermal energy projects.
The bills in consideration:
- Geothermal Energy Opportunity Act or the GEO Act
- Geothermal Cost-Recovery Authority Act of 2025
- Streamlining Thermal Energy through Advanced Mechanisms Act or the STEAM Act
- Committing Leases for Energy Access Now Act or the CLEAN Act
- Enhancing Geothermal Production on Federal Lands Act
- Harnessing Energy At Thermal Sources Act or the HEATS Act
- Geothermal Gold Book Development Act
- Geothermal Ombudsman for National Deployment and Optimal Reviews Act
- Geothermal Royalty Reform Act
Read more about the bills here.
OIL PRICES CONTINUE TO FALL: Oil prices fell deeper into the red today, as oversupply in the market offset disruptions connected to growing tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela.
Just before 3:30 p.m. EST, both international and domestic benchmarks were down by over 1%, hitting or falling far below the $60 line. Brent Crude dropped by around 1.08%, and was priced at $60.47 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate fell by 1.25% and was selling at $56.72 per barrel.
Analysts have estimated that crude futures would have fallen even further if Venezuelan exports hadn’t sharply dropped in response to the Trump administration’s seizure of an oil tanker last week. A surplus of crude globally has also protected prices from shooting up following the incident.
“The grind lower in oil prices and the achieving of month-to-date lows across the major futures complex last week might have seen more negative pricing if it were not for the upping of the ante by the United States with regard to Venezuela,” John Evans, a PVM analyst, told Reuters.
TRUMP TEAM PRESSURES EU TO SOFTEN METHANE EMISSIONS LAW: The Trump administration is ramping up its pressure on the European Union to weaken its climate and emissions reductions regulations, targeting the bloc’s law on methane emissions.
The details: A government document reviewed by Reuters revealed that the U.S. is demanding the EU exempt U.S. oil and gas exports until October 2035. The law currently requires European importers of oil and gas to monitor and report methane emissions linked to those imports. The document claimed the law would act as a “non-tariff trade barrier” that would put an “undue burden” on U.S. exporters and the trade relationship between the two regions.
EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen confirmed to members of the press that while the bloc is holding discussions with the U.S., it does not intend to weaken the law, according to Reuters.
“We are not considering withdrawing the legislation or an exemption to the legislation,” Jorgensen reportedly said.
The Trump administration’s view: During the energy summit this morning, Wright confirmed that the administration was pushing back on the methane law, describing it as “regulatory overreach.”
“It’s extra-territorial regulation,” the energy secretary said. “It will drive no positive environmental benefits, but it’ll make it too legally risky for the U.S. and other countries to sell natural gas into Europe, which would be bad for U.S. businesses, but far worse for European countries. They need natural gas.”
Wright did not explicitly confirm that a letter requesting the exemption was sent by the administration, but did say the government was working every day with European counterparts to establish a “regulatory regime that allows trade between our countries.”
A LOOK AHEAD
Dec. 15 C3 Solutions is holding an American Leadership in Energy Innovation Summit in Washington, D.C., featuring remarks from Secretary of Energy Chris Wright.
Dec. 15 The House Committee on Rules is taking up a number of bills for consideration, including House Natural Resources chairman Bruce Westerman’s Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act, better known as the SPEED Act.
Dec. 16 The Nuclear Industry Council is holding its annual Winter Members Meeting.
Dec. 16 SAFE’s Center for Grid Security is hosting a webinar on transmission and its role in supporting growth in artificial intelligence and manufacturing.
Dec. 16 The House Natural Resources subcommittee on energy and mineral resources is holding a legislative hearing on numerous geothermal bills.
Dec. 17 The fourth quarter Dallas Fed Energy Survey is scheduled to be released.
Dec. 17 The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is holding a business meeting to discuss numerous conservation bills.
Dec. 17 The House Natural Resources Committee is scheduled to hold a markup hearing on several bills, including one amending the Endangered Species Act.
Dec. 18 The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will be holding its monthly open meeting, and is expected to issue a decision on co-locating large loads like data centers in PJM.
RUNDOWN
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