Energy Infrastructure Policy

U.S. economic prosperity is closely tied to the availability of affordable, abundant, and clean energy supplies. Yet our nation's energy infrastructure is overstretched and cannot adequately meet the growing energy demand of consumers and businesses.

Companies tasked with building energy infrastructure are routinely deterred by Not In My Backyard (NIMBY) supporters at local zoning boards, state public utility commissions, federal legislative and regulatory bodies, and the judicial system.

If the United States continues to restrict domestic production and refuses to upgrade and build new energy infrastructure, America will be less competitive. Blackouts, brownouts, service interruptions, and rationing could become commonplace, and jobs could be shipped overseas.

As Congress and the administration take steps to improve our energy infrastructure, the Chamber recommends:

• Increasing generation, transmission, and distribution.
• Expanding refinery, pipeline, port, and surface transportation capacity.
• Facilitating capital investment in new energy projects of all types, including fossil and nonfossil energy facilities.
• Fully funding and implementing all existing energy technology laws, as well as all incentives and loan guarantees that encourage the development of new energy technologies
• Streamlining the permit and appeals process for energy projects to speed up construction time.