WASHINGTON — Today, the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) released a new report outlining nine concrete reforms to fix America’s broken permitting system and accelerate the clean energy transition while preserving strong environmental protections. The report, “Bureaucracy Blocks Green Progress: 9 Ideas for Democratic Permitting Reform,” makes the case that modernizing federal permitting is essential to lowering energy costs, strengthening national security, and building the infrastructure required for long-term economic growth. The report is designed to help Democratic lawmakers identify practical reforms they can champion as part of a bipartisan permitting deal.
Authored by Colin Mortimer, PPI’s Senior Director of Partnerships, the report argues that outdated and duplicative review processes have become a major obstacle to building both clean energy projects and traditional infrastructure. From transmission lines to renewable power to wildfire mitigation efforts, years of delay and litigation are driving up costs for families, deterring investment, and slowing America’s ability to compete globally.
“Permitting reform is not about weakening environmental protections. It is about making sure the projects that cut emissions, lower costs, and strengthen our grid are no longer trapped in regulatory limbo,” said Mortimer. “Democrats in Congress have a strategic opportunity to lead, shape bipartisan outcomes, and ensure reforms deliver both climate progress and economic gains.”
The report highlights the significant national consequences of inaction. According to recent industry and economic analyses, permitting delays have cost the United States more than $100 billion in lost investment, delayed 150,000 jobs, and led to hundreds of millions of tons of additional carbon emissions this decade. With electricity demand expected to rise sharply due to AI, manufacturing growth, and electrification, the need for a modernized permitting framework has never been more urgent.
PPI’s nine recommendations include:
“These ideas show that permitting reform can be both pro-environment and pro-growth,” added Mortimer. “If Democrats help shape the conversation, they can secure reforms that speed clean energy deployment, create jobs, and give communities a direct stake in America’s energy future.”
The report emphasizes that durable permitting reform must also be bipartisan. With Congress preparing for major legislative negotiations, PPI argues that Democrats in Congress have much to gain by putting forward solutions that align climate ambition with practical implementation and affordability.
Read and download the report here.
Founded in 1989, PPI is a catalyst for policy innovation and political reform based in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to create radically pragmatic ideas for moving America beyond ideological and partisan deadlock. Find an expert and learn more about PPI by visiting progressivepolicy.org. Follow us @PPI.
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Media Contact: Ian O’Keefe – iokeefe@ppionline.org
