Washington, D.C. – Today the Senate released the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act, legislation that would deregulate the permitting of major energy and infrastructure projects. The legislation proposes to overhaul bedrock public health and environmental protection laws including the Clean Water Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act and other critical tools used by states and communities to protect their own health and safety interests. The bill was the product of months-long and unprecedented behind-the-scenes negotiations among Senate leaders, completely bypassing the traditional, transparent committee hearing process.

In response, Food & Water Watch Policy Director Jim Walsh issued the following statement:

“As surely as Lucy makes a fool of Charlie Brown with the football every autumn, so too do Senate Democrats fall for terrible deals on so-called energy permitting reform. Relying on promises from the Trump administration that it will suddenly support wind and solar projects is beyond gullible. And to do so in exchange for advancing new fossil fuel projects across the country – while squashing common-sense community protections at the state level – is a complete dereliction of duty.

“This bill is a power grab by Big Tech and the fossil fuel industry to fast-track AI data centers and their egregious thirst for energy and water, while limiting the ability of states to protect water resources. It would shut the door to critical legal options communities have relied on to challenge harmful, polluting projects. Democrats need to wake up to these dangerous ploys being pushed by Big Oil and Big Tech that Americans of all walks of life, in communities big and small, are overwhelmingly opposed to.”