U. S. Senate Votes to Pursue Dangerous, Unpopular “Permitting Reform” Bill Sponsored By NM Senator Heinrich

Organization Press Release – From the Western Environmental Law Center

Today, the U.S. Senate voted to open debate on the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA, S. 5653) in the first of several procedural cloture votes.

The bill lies at the center of a firestorm of pro-fossil fuel and AI data center interests and remains opposed by influential leaders including former vice president and climate champion Al Gore, Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Jared Huffman, National Congress of American Indians President Mark Macarro, and the All Pueblo Council of Governors. 

“The false urgency imposed on senators by the bill’s sponsors exists for only one reason—to minimize scrutiny and prevent lawmakers and Americans from understanding the enormity of BAAJA’s power transfer away from the people and to the oligarch class,” said Erik Schlenker-Goodrich, executive director of the Western Environmental Law Center.

“There is a constructive conversation to be had in the 120th Congress to build out renewables infrastructure and deliver on the promise of affordability, while respecting people and place. That conversation should proceed through regular order to bring new ideas to the table and ensure all voices are heard.”

BAAJA would enact the most severe environmental and community protection rollback in American history, affecting Tribal sovereignty, the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, and National Historic Preservation Act. Read our analysis here.

These rollbacks would fast-track an array of Trump’s vanity projects such as the “triumphal arch” and White House “ballroom,” remove barriers to unwanted, cruel, and wasteful immigrant detention centers, and supercharge the buildout of AI data centers over community opposition.

A coalition of 29 groups in Sen. Heinrich’s home state of New Mexico with diverse focus areas including Indigenous, faith, children’s wellbeing, clean water, conservation, climate, and community issues sent him a letter opposing the bill last week.

New Mexico Gov.-elect Deb Haaland, and Reps. Melanie Stansbury and Teresa Leger Fernàndez vocally oppose BAAJA, and Attorney General Raúl Torrez led a group of six state attorneys general in a letter opposing the bill.

Veteran Attorney David Bookbinder excoriates BAAJA as a threat to American democracy in a memo here.

A national Earthjustice poll (see note below) found that “Given a choice, 77% of voters said the U.S. should maintain existing laws that protect the environment and public health even if some projects take longer to build. Only 23%  preferred building faster if it meant weakening environmental laws.”

As voting began, President Trump was recorded saying he would not honor his promise to approve wind energy projects if Democrats supported the bill.

The Western Environmental Law Center uses the power of the law to foster thriving, resilient western U.S. lands, waters, wildlife, and communities in the face of a changing climate.

Note: The Earthjustice Poll referred to above, is available upon request from the Western Environmental Law Center by contacting:

Erik Schlenker-Goodrich, 575-751-0351, eriksg@westernlaw.org

Marlyn Twitchell, 541-485-2471, ext. 144, twitchell@westernlaw.org