America Can Hit A Clean Energy Grand Slam With Permitting Reform

It always amazes me how historic moments in sports can parallel the challenges we face in our daily lives. In Game 1 of Major League Baseball’s 2024 World Series, we were reminded that seizing the moment with our best efforts can lead to successes that change the future. Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers faced off against New York Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes Jr. with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning at Dodger Stadium, with the implications for the season on the line. Under the highest pressure, Freeman wasted no time putting everything he had into his best swing to send the first-pitch fastball from Cortes Jr. deep into the stands for a walk-off grand slam, earning the Dodgers a 6-3 comeback victory after being one out away from a devastating loss. (Side note: As a lifelong Boston Red Sox fan, it gives me great pleasure to use this example here and to have witnessed LA’s dominance to win the Series).

The U.S. contributions to the transition to clean energy are facing a similar high-pressure moment. We have the talent and the resources (from recent federal investments), and now we need to step up and take our “best swing” to achieve our goals of delivering affordable, reliable and clean power to all Americans. Unfortunately, we’re staring down a very stingy pitcher: the federal permitting process for clean energy and transmission projects.

Read in Forbes