The 136th General Assembly of Ohio, through Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 2025-2026, urges Congress to reform federal permitting policies to expedite the deployment of new energy infrastructure. The resolution highlights the importance of a resilient and diversified domestic energy production system for national security, economic competitiveness, and energy independence. It points out that the current federal permitting and environmental review processes, particularly under laws like the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Clean Water Act, have become excessively complex and time-consuming, often delaying essential energy projects and discouraging domestic energy production. The resolution emphasizes that these delays not only increase costs and reduce reliability but also make the U.S. more dependent on foreign energy sources.

The resolution calls for legislative reforms that would streamline the permitting process, allowing for faster and more cost-effective construction of energy infrastructure, including pipelines and transmission lines. It advocates for accountability in federal agencies overseeing these processes and suggests that reforms should include better data management and aggressive timelines for project reviews. The resolution stresses the urgency of these reforms, warning that failure to act will lead to further economic harm, job losses, and increased vulnerability to energy shortages. It expresses gratitude to Ohio's Congressional Delegation for their support in prioritizing federal permitting reform and requests that copies of the resolution be sent to key congressional leaders.