Sen. Joe Manchin III has cautioned far-left Democrats that double-crossing him by blocking legislation to streamline fossil fuel and renewable energy projects would only jeopardize their green agenda.
In exchange for the conservative West Virginia Democrat’s crucial vote to pass the party’s $740 billion tax and climate spending law, Democratic leaders promised to approve a separate bill to slash bureaucratic permitting regulations that often delay energy infrastructure projects for years.
Some House Democrats now don’t want to keep their side of the bargain.
“I’ve got the hard left right now saying, ’Hell no, we’re not going to do anything now that makes it look like we’re helping Manchin,’” said Mr. Manchin at a recent event in his state. “I said, ’you’re not helping me, you’re helping yourself if you want to get anything built in America.’”
In addition to fast-tracking various energy projects, Mr. Manchin wants the permitting overhaul to include measures to jumpstart the stalled $6.6 billion West Virginia Mountain Valley pipeline.
Mr. Manchin also wants the energy permit legislation tied to a stop-gap funding measure to keep the government funded past Sept. 30. Attaching it to the must-pass funding measure gives Democratic leadership leverage to stave off defectors. It also would need at least 10 Senate Republicans to overcome a filibuster.
He warned of a government shutdown if both parties don’t get behind his proposal.
“This is something the Republican Party has wanted for the last five to seven years I’ve been with them,” Mr. Manchin said. “It either keeps the country open, or we shut down the government. That’ll happen Sept. 30, so let’s see how that politics plays out.”
House progressives have argued they are not obligated to a secret handshake agreement on permitting reform because they were not involved and it would undercut their climate achievements by allowing faster completion of fossil fuel projects for decades to come.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Michigan Democrat, recently told the left-leaning news outlet The American Prospect that “we sure as hell don’t owe Joe Manchin anything now.” House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raul M. Grijalva, Arizona Democrat, wrote in a Newsweek op-ed that “Democrats don’t owe anybody anything in return for passing the bill.”
Senate Republicans, longtime advocates of permitting reform, warned last month that they would not give Democrats the votes they need if legislation is tied to a stop-gap funding measure, known as a continuing resolution. That was the price to pay for Democrats forcing through their tax and climate spending law along party lines, Republicans said.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican, vowed to oppose anything “that is part of a political payback scheme.”
The Biden administration has reiterated its support for permitting reform.
Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said on “Fox News Sunday” that current permitting regulations, which often delay projects for years, are “ridiculous.” She, too, pledged that legislation addressing the matter will come next month.
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