Permitting reform is a strong start. Here’s how Congress can make it better.

America is the world's energy superpower. We have the refineries, petrochemical facilities and fuels consumers need. But too often, outdated permitting rules make it harder than it should be to build the pipelines, terminals and other infrastructure needed to move crude oil and other feedstocks to facilities and products to consumers.

That is why AFPM supports the bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act.

The bill would enforce National Environmental Policy Act deadlines and create more unified federal reviews. It would establish specific timeframes for courts to review legal challenges to permitted projects. And it would help stop permits from being repeatedly approved, withdrawn or reversed as administrations in change. Together, those reforms would provide the certainty needed to support more investment (and re-investment) in American energy and manufacturing. And that means more jobs, stronger energy security and more reliable access to affordable fuels and petrochemicals.

How to make the bill even stronger

The bipartisan infrastructure package is already strong, but Congress can (and should) ensure that it does these three things, too:

• Add Clean Air Act permitting reform so facilities can modernize and reinvest with greater certainty.
• Explicitly apply pipeline provisions to crude oil, refined products and natural gas liquid pipelines - not just those carrying or transmitting natural gas, renewable fuels or electricity.
• Ensure refineries, petrochemical facilities and terminals benefit from provisions to streamline manufacturing projects.

Global supply crunches repeatedly show the same thing: producing energy is huge, but it's not the whole story for energy security and reliability. Americans and manufacturers must be able to access the crude beneath our feet and the fuels we make right here. Bipartisan permitting reform can help deliver that and ensure America can finally build the infrastructure to match its energy leadership.