It’s Time to Build: Why Permitting Reform Is the Energy Policy We’ve Been Waiting For
American energy has a building problem. We have the resources. We have the technology. What we don’t have is a permitting system that allows us to move fast enough to meet the moment. That’s exactly what Sen. Alan Armstrong’s (R-OK) American Energy and Mineral Infrastructure Act of 2026 aims to fix, and it’s an idea long overdue.
Fox News reports,
“Armstrong has produced a package of bills geared toward permitting reform that combines ideas from the House and Senate, dubbed the American Energy and Mineral Infrastructure Act of 2026. The package would ultimately alleviate time and money spent on the permitting process for pipeline developers, liquid natural gas (LNG) export companies and natural gas producers, among others, as they navigate the dense and slow-moving permitting process.”
For too long, permitting reform has been one of Washington’s endless “almosts” — a priority that never quite reaches the finish line. Everyone agrees the process is broken. Environmental reviews take years. A single state can block a federally approved interstate pipeline. Developers face mountains of unnecessary paperwork before a single shovel hits the ground. The result? Higher energy costs for American families and businesses, slower infrastructure development, and a strategic disadvantage against global competitors like China.
Washington has been talking about permitting reform for years. It’s time to stop talking and start building.
June 26, 2026