The Big Story 

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has signaled that the Senate’s Democratic majority will include energy permitting reform in its priorities for July.

© Getty

In a “Dear Colleague” letter circulated Sunday, Schumer identified permitting reform as a key issue for collaboration with Republicans in the month ahead.

The New York Democrat also identified reducing the cost of insulin and prescription drugs, fentanyl addiction and rail safety, the latter of which is the subject of a bipartisan bill introduced in the wake of the February train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, which spilled toxic chemicals in the surrounding community.

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) has been one of the Senate’s most vocal backers of permitting reform, supporting the Inflation Reduction Act last year in exchange for Schumer’s commitment to bringing a permitting reform bill to the floor. Lawmakers recently passed legislation aiming to speed up the permitting process as part of a deal to raise the debt ceiling, but Democrats say they still want to see more to build out power lines while Republicans are seeking to limit lawsuits that could block infrastructure projects.

Read more in a full report from our colleague Alexander Bolton at TheHill.com.

Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, we’re Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.

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Upcoming Event 

The Hill’s Clean Energy Permitting Reform: The Path Ahead — Wednesday, July 26, 2023, 8-10 a.m. ET | National Press Club

Join The Hill on July 26 as we convene lawmakers, clean energy experts and executives to discuss renewable energy infrastructure deployment, reaching clean energy goals and the outlook for greater reforms. 

Guests include:

• Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), member of the Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee

• Maria Robinson, director, Grid Deployment Office, U.S. Department of Energy
• Rep. John Curtis (R-Utah), vice chair of the Energy, Climate & Grid Security Subcommittee and vice chair of the Federal Lands Subcommittee
• Xan Fishman, director of energy policy & carbon management at the Bipartisan Policy Center
• Shannon Baker-Branstetter, senior director, domestic climate & energy policy, Center for American Progress
• Heather Reams, president of Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES)
• Jesse Simons, co-founder & chief commercial officer at SOLARCYCLE

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