As a national organization dedicated to advancing racial justice, environmental protection, and intergenerational equity, Young, Gifted & Green stands in firm opposition to the Energy Permitting Reform Act introduced by Senators Joe Manchin and John Barrasso. This bill is nothing more than a thinly veiled gift to the fossil fuel industry, oil and gas companies, and mining conglomerates – at the expense of frontline communities, public health, and our shared environmental future.

We echo Congressman Raúl Grijalva’s assessment that this legislation is not genuine permitting reform, but rather a resuscitated version of the so-called “Dirty Deal” that has been consistently rejected by the American people. Instead of charting a bold, just path toward the clean energy transition required to address the climate crisis, this bill doubles down on the extractive industries that have exploited and polluted our communities for far too long.

“I’ve said it enough times, but it clearly bears repeating that checking off wish lists for oil, gas, and mining companies is not permitting reform,” said Ranking Member Grijalva. “From opening major expanses of our public lands and waters for drilling to gutting judicial review to letting mining companies dump even more waste on our public lands, this bill is yet another resuscitated iteration of the Dirty Deal — not a meaningful attempt at securing the clean energy future Americans want.”

“To make the bold, just clean energy transition that the climate crisis demands, the Environmental Justice for All Act and Clean Electricity and Transmission Act already offer the suite of community protections and transmission authorities we need. Why we would forgo those community-led solutions for this pro-polluter gift set is beyond me. I strongly urge my colleagues in the Senate to reject this misguided bill.”

The provisions in the Manchin-Barrasso bill are an affront to the 17 Principles of Environmental Justice and the hard-won victories of civil rights pioneers. By dramatically limiting the statute of limitations to challenge unlawful permitting decisions, this legislation would severely undermine the enforcement of landmark environmental laws like the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act. This effectively strips away the ability of impacted communities – particularly Black, Brown, Indigenous, and low-income neighborhoods – to have a meaningful voice and seek accountability when their health and livelihoods are put at risk.

The bill’s fast-tracking of liquefied natural gas (LNG) export projects and mandatory offshore drilling leases is particularly egregious. At a time when the scientific consensus is clear that we must rapidly phase out fossil fuels to avert the worst impacts of climate change, this legislation doubles down on infrastructure that cements our dependence on polluting energy sources. Allowing certain oil and gas drilling projects to bypass the federal permitting process entirely removes critical checks and balances, leaving communities vulnerable to the devastating environmental and public health consequences.

Equally troubling is the bill’s provision to allow hardrock mining companies to dump even more toxic waste on public lands. This amounts to a gift to the mining industry at the expense of Indigenous sovereignty, clean water, and the delicate ecosystems that sustain us all. It’s a flagrant disregard for the inextricable link between environmental protection and racial justice.

In contrast, Young, Gifted & Green and Congressman Grijalva are championing alternative legislative approaches that truly address the need for permitting reform through an equity-centered lens. The Environmental Justice for All Act and the Clean Electricity and Transmission Act offer community-driven solutions that safeguard public health, protect vulnerable populations, and accelerate the transition to renewable energy. These bills recognize that the clean energy future cannot be achieved without centering the voices, needs, and leadership of frontline communities.

True permitting reform must be grounded in the 17 Principles of Environmental Justice and the Jemez Principles, not the narrow interests of polluting industries. It must lift up the inherent value of our natural resources, public lands, and shared ecosystems – not treat them as expendable assets to be exploited for private profit. And it must empower marginalized communities to have a decisive say in the decisions that impact their lives, livelihoods, and legacies.

The Manchin-Barrasso bill is a far cry from that vision. It is a regressive step backward, not the bold, transformative change our country so desperately needs. We call on all senators to reject this misguided legislation and instead support the visionary, justice-oriented solutions championed by Congressman Grijalva and the broader environmental justice movement. Our communities, our planet, and our shared future depend on it.