Cortez Masto, Cotton Introduce Bill to Accelerate Energy Projects Stalled by Red Tape

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) introduced bipartisan legislation to cut bureaucratic red tape unnecessarily delaying energy projects. The Fighting for Reliable Energy and Ending Doubt for Open Markets (FREEDOM) Act would provide energy projects across America permitting certainty, without favoring any specific technology over another.

"For far too long, energy projects across the country have been slowed by bureaucracy," said Senator Cortez Masto. "The bipartisan FREEDOM Act is a critical first step in slashing this unnecessary red tape so we can meet the energy needs of the future and unlock America's full potential."

"Endless lawsuits delay vital energy projects, resulting in higher energy prices for Arkansans. My bill will eliminate bureaucratic red tape to streamline energy projects," said Senator Cotton.

"We're in an energy crisis because it takes longer to permit an energy project than it does to build it. The solution is simple: cut the red tape and build more affordable energy faster. The FREEDOM Act will speed up approvals, hold federal agencies accountable, and help get reliable energy projects online. I'm excited to see these smart, common-sense solutions advancing in the Senate, and I look forward getting this bill passed to lower energy costs for our families," said Congressman Harder.

The FREEDOM Act works to speed up the completion of energy projects by accelerating the permitting process, establishing permitting timelines, expediting court reviews of permitting lawsuits in a reasonable way, and limiting court orders that overturn fully permitted projects. Additionally, the bill includes Senator Cortez Masto's provisions to allow critical mineral production to continue in the West, expedite geothermal exploration and development, and streamline geothermal permitting on federal land.

Read the bill here.

Senator Cortez Masto has consistently worked to support Nevada's battery supply chain and clean energy industry, which has created nearly 42,000 good-paying clean energy jobs across Nevada. Through her Innovation State Initiative, Senator Cortez Masto has been a proponent of renewable and sustainable energy, passing bipartisan legislation to promote Nevada's mining and emerging battery industries. The Senator had previously led the Nevada delegation in a letter to Interior Secretary Burgum raising concerns that the Department's new policy placed additional scrutiny on only certain renewable energy sources.

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