Sheldon Whitehouse

The Senate overcame its first obstacle to advance a sweeping permitting reform package aimed toward speeding up energy projects and strengthening data center regulations, pushing ahead with the bipartisan bill after months of negotiations. The Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act, known colloquially as BAAJA, succeeded in its first procedural hurdle on Monday evening, opening the door for debate and a possibly lengthy amendment process before it reaches a final vote. The fate of the bill remains unclear as its provisions have divided Democrats on Capitol Hill, including those who have suggested waiting until they control both chambers of Congress next year to push through the massive reforms package. Bipartisan negotiators behind the bill are urging swift consideration as they push to sign the bill into law in the final two months of session, known as the lame-duck session. Senate unveils bipartisan deal tackling energy and data centers — but wind and solar questions remain “This bill, when it becomes law, becomes the floor for the work that we begin to do to make things better still in the next Congress with working majorities,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, one of the authors of the bill, told reporters on Monday. “So people should just cool their jets and have a little faith that this is not the end of the story.” The comprehensive reform deal was first published last month, tackling issues ranging from data center costs, transmission power lines, environmental review deadlines, clearer guidelines for consultations, and more. The deal was finalized by the top four energy policy legislators on Capitol Hill, including Whitehouse and Utah Sen. Mike Lee, West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, and New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich. Environmental groups opposed The package is backed by several business groups, energy developers and labor unions — and President Donald Trump came out in support of the bill over the weekend. Still, it faces opposition from some tribal leaders and environmental groups who have raised concerns it would benefit oil and gas developers and make it harder to pursue legal challenges. “If it becomes law, this bill will lock in fossil fuel drilling, hardrock mining projects and AI data centers,” Abby Tinsley, senior vice president of Conservation Programs at The Wilderness Society, told the Deseret News in a statement. “It will completely undermine Tribal and other public participation and make it nearly impossible to undo unlawful development projects. As written, the bill will permanently greenlight endless development and harm for iconic landscapes.” The negotiators, which includes the top four energy policy legislators on Capitol Hill, have incorporated much of the feedback in their latest version of the bill that was released over the weekend. Some of those changes include requirements for federal agencies to consult with tribes on permitting projects “that will affect important cultural sites including on what proper