Ease permitting for clean power

In his May 6 guest column, “U.S. power grid being sabotaged by EPA,” Rich Nolan expresses some valid concerns about new Environmental Protection Agency power plant regulations.

Building out new renewable energy supplies, connecting them to the grid and ensuring adequate consistent electricity supply are all challenges to the clean energy transition.

Nolan correctly points out that the U.S. needs to triple its transmission capacity build-out to bring clean electricity to consumers where and when it is needed. Currently, a backlog in connecting renewables to the grid caused by permitting delays is slowing the transition from fossil to renewable power.

Yet the answer is not business as usual. Air pollution caused by fossil fuel burning causes an estimated 250,000 deaths in the U.S. each year, and phasing out coal, oil and gas over the next 25 years could save Americans $700 billion per year in avoided health care expenses.

The Biden administration took a step forward recently by announcing some streamlined permitting processes. Yet it cannot solve our pollution and energy issues alone. Congress has the power to pass meaningful clean energy permitting legislation that will reduce delays in transmission capacity development, while still allowing environmental review and local input.

Renewable energy is Nevada’s future and our congressional delegation should support permitting reform legislation.

Joanne Leovy, Las Vegas