Energy Department Releases National Petroleum Council Recommendations to Accelerate Permitting Reform and Strengthen U.S. Energy Infrastructure

WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today released key studies from the National Petroleum Council (NPC) that provide comprehensive recommendations to help modernize America’s energy infrastructure, streamline federal permitting, and remove regulatory barriers that have stalled the development of critical energy projects. The studies, one on gas-electric coordination and the other on oil and natural gas infrastructure permitting, underscore the urgent need for reforms to strengthen grid reliability and expand domestic energy production.

The NPC is a federal advisory committee to the Secretary of Energy composed of leaders from oil and natural gas industries, academia, and other stakeholders. These studies were completed at the request of U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright as part of a broader examination of “Future Energy Systems” and support President Trump’s agenda to unleash American energy, accelerate infrastructure build-out, and ensure affordable, reliable and secure energy for American families.

“For years, the Biden Administration advanced policies that made it harder to produce American energy,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright. “The National Petroleum Council’s findings confirm what President Trump has said from day one: America needs more energy infrastructure, less red tape, and serious permitting reform. These recommendations will help make energy more affordable for every American household.”

“The studies represent a significant collaborative effort to tackle some of the most complex challenges in our energy infrastructure,” said U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for the Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office Kyle Haustveit. “The National Petroleum Council recommendations will be instrumental in guiding the Department’s strategies for enhancing grid reliability and streamlining the development of essential energy projects.”

The gas-electric coordination study, Reliable Energy: Delivering on the Promise of Gas-Electric Coordination, evaluates how rising natural gas and electricity demand, combined with shifting usage patterns, is straining natural gas pipelines in key regions of the United States. It outlines practical solutions to improve coordination between the natural gas and electricity sectors and mitigate reliability risks. Key recommendations include:

• Prioritize Infrastructure Investment: Urges Congress, federal agencies, and industries to reform permitting and build new, suitable energy infrastructure, while also improving and expanding existing infrastructure.
• Improve Market & Regulatory Frameworks: Recommends better coordination through a Natural Gas Readiness Forum, thorough long-term planning by FERC Regional Transmission Organizations/Independent System Operators (RTO/ISOs), and new pricing structures to handle changing gas flow patterns.
• Strengthen Accountability & Reliability: Suggests ensuring gas-fired power generators are compensated for reliability, establishing a “best efforts” accountability framework for independent power producers, and improving RTO/ISO performance metrics.

Building on the NPC’s 2019 Dynamic Delivery: America’s Evolving Oil and Natural Gas Transportation Infrastructure report, the oil and natural gas infrastructure permitting study, Bottleneck to Breakthrough: A Permitting Blueprint to Build, outlines reform recommendations to modernize government processes and speed the development of essential energy infrastructure. Key recommendations include:

• Streamline Permitting Processes: Advocates for executive and legislative actions to clarify the scope of the National Environmental Policy Act, expedite legal reviews for environmental cases, and update general permits to accelerate energy project approvals.
• Enhance Regulatory Authority: Recommends expanding the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission program for faster authorization of natural gas projects and confirming commercial agreements as proof of market need under the Natural Gas Act.
• Establish Predictable Timelines: Calls for creating and adhering to federal timelines for approving natural gas infrastructure projects and limiting state authority under Section 401 of the Clean Water Act.

Both studies highlight the urgent need for policymakers, regulators, and industry to take timely action to maintain the reliability, affordability, and resilience of the Nation’s energy system. The complete NPC studies and recommendations are available on DOE’s website here.

###