# Senators Propose Federal Energy Permitting Reform

On September 30, 2026, Senators Shelley Moore Capito, Sheldon Whitehouse, Mike Lee, and Martin Heinrich introduced the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act. The proposed legislation would revise federal permitting and review timelines, support transmission and grid planning, address interconnection, and allocate transmission costs for large loads such as data centers. The Senate may consider the bill on or after November 9. The proposal also includes a proposed $20 million Department of Energy effort to support standardized permitting for qualifying distributed energy systems; it is legislation under consideration, not an enacted requirement, solicitation, or contract award.

- The proposed changes could affect approval timelines and project costs for transmission, grid, natural gas, and other energy infrastructure projects. Contractors and suppliers can assess which planned projects may be affected, particularly where data-center demand and transmission cost allocation are relevant.
- **Key date:** Senate consideration may begin on or after November 9, 2026. The bill’s legislative path and any subsequent implementing rules will determine whether and how the proposed changes affect procurement planning.
- The proposed DOE effort is not yet a contract opportunity. Energy-sector firms may want to evaluate whether their distributed energy permitting work could fit the proposed program, while awaiting further details through the bill’s progress or implementation.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Energy & Utilities, Construction & Infrastructure
**Topics:** Policy, Grants & Funding, Physical Infrastructure
**Published:** October 09, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Senate
- U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
- U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (ENR)
- U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW)

### Key Quotes
> When a transmission line takes a decade or more to approve, that is not just an economic problem.
> — Major General Paul D. Eaton, U.S. Army (Ret.), Senior Advisor at VoteVets

### Sources
- [
	Dentons - Groundbreaking permitting deal in the Senate could advance essential energy projects in the US
](https://www.dentons.com/en/insights/alerts/2026/october/7/groundbreaking-permitting-deal-in-the-senate-could-advance-essential-energy-projects-in-the-us) - Dentons
- [What They’re Saying: Bipartisan Permitting Reform Will Deliver Cheaper Energy, More Jobs, Responsible Growth](https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/what-theyre-saying-bipartisan-permitting-reform-will-deliver-cheaper-energy-more-jobs-responsible-growth) - Capito
- [Permitting Reform Can Help Build the Energy Infrastructure America Needs - American Gas Association](https://www.aga.org/permitting-reform-can-help-build-the-energy-infrastructure-america-needs) - American Gas Association