The Senate is set to vote on November 9 on the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA), a 417-page bill that aims to speed up federal permitting for energy projects. The bill narrows the projects that must apply for federal permits and sets deadlines for reviews. It also includes provisions on transmission planning and mining. It is technology neutral, covering both fossil fuel and renewable projects.
The bill has two Republican and two Democratic sponsors in the Senate. The White House backs it. Its Council of Economic Advisors found the bill would reduce review times and boost GDP. The American Clean Power Association supports it, and its analysis estimates the bill could unlock 350 gigawatts of new clean energy for the grid.
The Natural Resources Defense Council says the transmission provisions could benefit the grid. It opposes the narrowing of environmental reviews, which it says could damage public and private lands.
Early emissions estimates differ. The Rhodium Group found that in the best case, the bill would cut economy-wide emissions by 4%, reduce annual household energy bills by $78, and add 200 gigawatts of clean energy by 2040. In the worst case, emissions would stay about the same. Resources for the Future found the bill could cut power-sector emissions 6% by 2041 and save more than $350 billion in system costs by midcentury.
Kevin Kircher, an energy modeler and assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Purdue, says the bill involves a trade-off between growing clean electricity and growing the fossil-fuel industry. Kircher modeled the bill and found that if it had been in place in 2025, energy sector emissions would have been higher than the actual baseline, and air pollution health and mortality risks would have increased.
The source notes that the outcome of the midterm elections could affect the bill's path. Democrats could wait until next year, when they will control both chambers. Any final deal would need Trump's signature.