Climate change continues to be a pressing concern for both public and private sectors, often viewed as a formidable challenge in the pursuit of dependable energy resources due to stringent environmental policies and regulatory demands. This complex issue was at the heart of a recent webinar titled “Permitting Reform’s False Choice” hosted by the University of Houston Law Center’s Environment, Energy, and Natural Resource (EENR) Center.
David E. Adelman, the Harry M. Reasoner Regents Chair in Law and professor at the University of Texas School of Law, was the featured speaker. He provided insights into the pressing need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, highlighting the need to develop a significant amount of infrastructure, especially in the electric utility sector, to reach net-zero emissions.
He stressed the urgency of the situation, pointing out that prior estimates suggest we have only 20 to 30 years to achieve net-zero emissions to avoid critical and damaging temperature increases.
"We really do not have very much time," he warned.
The webinar also explored the role of federal environmental laws in the expansion of green infrastructure and the barriers these laws may pose to rapid deployment.
Adelman observed that the federal government has been moving away from requiring Environmental Impact Statements (EIS), instead favoring greater use of categorical exclusions and programmatic EISs, leading to a systematic decline in stringent environmental reviews.
Federal environmental agencies, including those responsible for protecting endangered species and vulnerable lands such as wetlands and forests, play a crucial role in approving green infrastructure projects, including the installation of transmission lines.
He also discussed the challenges posed by permitting processes for wind and solar projects and the indirect effects of environmental laws on the progress of green infrastructure.
"We've seen a lot of concern at the national level with prominent commentators and legislators," Adelman said. "The perception in the national debate is that federal environmental laws are holding up the construction of critical infrastructure, not just renewables and transmission lines."
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