Murkowski supports Comprehensive Permitting and Environmental Review Reform Legislation

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Friday, May 12, 2023 at 8:08 PM

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Washington, DC (KINY) - U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, former chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR), joined Senator John Barrasso (R-WY), Ranking Member of the ENR Committee in introducing legislation to substantively reform the nation’s broken permitting and environmental review processes.

      The Spur Permitting of Underdeveloped Resources (SPUR) Act, covers key reforms in ENR’s jurisdiction, including provisions to increase domestic energy and mineral development, ensure federal lands remain open to productive uses, and streamline permitting of energy infrastructure.
 
“The federal permitting process is broken, with just about every major project in Alaska and elsewhere facing major delays and lawsuits that add to costs, discourage investment, and prevent resource production here at home. If we want to improve our energy and mineral security, we have to be able to approve good projects in a timely manner—but the longer we wait on critical reforms, the more we empower China, OPEC+, and adversarial nations around the world,” Senator Lisa Murkowski said. “The permitting improvements put on the table through Senator Barrasso’s SPUR Act, through legislation led by Senator Capito, and from Chairman Manchin will all help us address this urgent challenge. I’m proud to join my colleagues on serious proposals that will uphold our environmental laws while boosting our economy and national security.”

Ranking Member Barrasso’s SPUR Act is cosponsored by Capito and every Republican member of the ENR Committee, including Senators Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Lee (R-UT), Steve Daines (R-MT), John Hoeven (R-ND), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and Josh Hawley (R-MO).
 
For bill text of the SPUR Act, click here.

For a section by section of the SPUR Act, click here.

For a one pager of the SPUR Act, click here.

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