Federal Permitting Set for Billion-Dollar Boost in Climate Bill

Permitting resources at several federal agencies would expand under Democrats’ climate-and-tax bill as part of an effort to smooth out the deployment of large clean-energy and infrastructure projects.

But the money in the Inflation Reduction Act (H.R. 5376)—which the House is expected to take up Friday—would fall short of the broader regulatory overhaul needed to meet climate goals and upgrade the US energy system, according to some who follow permitting.

To improve permitting, the bill would give $40 million to the Environmental Protection Agency, $150 million to the Interior Department, $125 million to the Energy Department, ...