Big Sky Times

U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines, member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources (ENR) Committee, helped introduce a permitting proposal to substantively reform the nation’s broken permitting and environmental review processes, which are currently delaying key energy, infrastructure and transportation projects in Montana and across America.

“Our permitting system is broken, and Montanans are paying for it. Government red tape makes it harder to manage our forests and prevent catastrophic wildfires, cuts Montana energy jobs, threatens Montanans’ access to reliable and affordable energy and holds up projects that would improve our Montana communities,” said Daines. “This bill gives the permitting processes a much-needed update for the benefit of folks in every corner of our state and across the country, including by reversing the disastrous Cottonwood decision that has tied the hands of our land managers, put our loggers out of work and made it harder to prevent deadly wildfires.”

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. Senator Daines was able to ensure the inclusion of key priorities for Montana, including his Cottonwood fix legislation and his Root and Stem Act, which would improve active forest management, as well as energy leasing streamlining and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission extensions that will keep costs low for Montanans.    

See the full text of the “SPUR Act” HERE. 

Daines joined Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Shelley Capito (R-W.V.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), John Hoeven (R-N.D,), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), and Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) in introducing the bill.

Original source can be found here.