Joe Manchin To Soon See His Permitting Deal Crash And Burn

In order to get the utterly misnamed Inflation Reduction Act, which was really just Build Back Better version 4, passed with the support of Joe Manchin, Chuck Schumer promised him permitting reform. I wonder how that will work

Democrat calls for stand-alone vote on permitting deal, saying he doesn’t feel ‘obligation’ to vote for it

Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) told The Hill on Friday that he will push for the permitting deal between Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Democratic leadership to be a standalone vote — rather than attached to another vehicle that may incentivize more of his colleagues to vote for it.

Grijalva said that he and a handful of colleagues planned to make a request on Friday that the vote — on an agreement he fears will weaken environmental standards — be a standalone.

He said he hopes the reforms are not attached to must-pass legislation such as a continuing resolution, which keeps the government funded temporarily in the absence of an appropriations bill.

“We’re going to start early to urge a separate vote,” said Grijalva, chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee and former co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Why a separate vote? Because Democrats do not want permitting reform for oil, gas, and, to a small degree coal, to happen. They do not want to streamline permits. They do not want new permits. They don’t want existing permits to have a chance. They won’t give up their own use of fossil fuels, of course. If they have a separate vote they can kill it off, rather than seeing it jammed up in some other legislation. So, the chances of Manchin getting what he wanted in order to get his vote for the IRA are low. How many Democrats will vote for it in the House? Will there be enough? How about the Senate? Can it get the votes? If so, will Biden sign it? Heck, Democrats might slow walk it and let the clock run out.

He acknowledged that there is a deal between Manchin and Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) to advance the permitting reform deal, but said he doesn’t feel an “obligation” to uphold a deal that he did not help negotiate.

“I don’t feel an obligation … to support the deal,” Grijalva said. “I didn’t shake hands, I wasn’t part of the negotiations.”

When Manchin and Schumer announced they had reached a deal on the climate and tax legislation, they also agreed to take up reforms to the environmental reviews that are required in order to permit energy or other construction projects.

Good job, Joe. You sold out. Should have demanded the permitting be in the IRA, though, it might not have passed reconciliation. And even if passed, it doesn’t mean that the courts and the federal bureaucrats will allow streamlined permitting, as this Salon piece points out. Especially for the Mountain Valley Pipeline

While many of these permitting reforms stand to benefit both fossil fuel producers and clean energy providers, one provision stood out for its clear benefit to a group of oil and gas companies. The summary includes a requirement to “complete the Mountain Valley Pipeline,” a 303-mile pipeline that delivers natural gas from northwestern West Virginia — Manchin’s home state — to southern Virginia.

But whether Congressional intervention can help the pipeline cross the finish line is unclear. The one-page summary requires “relevant agencies to take all necessary actions to permit the construction and operation of the Mountain Valley pipeline” and “give the D.C. Circuit jurisdiction over any further litigation.” (A change in venue may help the pipeline developers who have been repeatedly rebuffed in the Fourth Circuit court.)

It’ll probably never happen. A separate vote in the Senate a week ago was shot down, with only Republicans and Manchin supporting it. You sold out West Virginia and the middle and working classes for nothing, Joe.

Save $10 on purchases of $49.99 & up on our Fruit Bouquets at 1800flowers.com. Promo Code: FRUIT49
If you liked my post, feel free to subscribe to my rss feeds.

Both comments and trackbacks are currently closed

10 Responses to “Joe Manchin To Soon See His Permitting Deal Crash And Burn”

  1. UnkleC says:

    Of course Joe sold out, he’s a democrat, it’s in his DNA. He knew the bait and switch was coming and he played along for publicity.
    Never trust any democrat.
    https://www.thepiratescove.us/wp-content/plugins/wp-monalisa/icons/wpml_cool.gif

    • Elwood P. Dowd says:

      Note that Mr Grijalva is not a Senator. His House vote cannot derail the bill.

      Senator Manchin is not dumb. He knew the score all along.

  2. Hairy says:

    Teach this inflation taking place globally, is Biden responsible for all of it? Gasoline prices began to go up under Trump. In April of Trumps last term gas prices were $1.85. By Feb when Biden took over the_ were $2.50an increase of 75cents.eas Biden responsible for that also? Oil prices went up because Trump asked the Saudis to cut production. Prices at thst ti.e wefe so low that many, especially oil from franking, American oil companies could not be profitable. The Saudis were more than happy to cut production and raise profits.

    • CarolAnn says:

      “In April of Trumps last term gas prices were $1.85”

      His “last ” term? How many did he serve? I guess he was responsible for that horrific .75 cent rise. Would you rather the oil companies fail or lay off thousands of workers? Tell us, oh great one, what would you have done? Being a commie we guess you’d have put a .75 cent tax on gas to “equalize” the price.

      Now tell us about the $5.79+ gas this past May.

      • Elwood P. Dowd says:

        trump’s term WAS his last term. Being a fascist you likely believe he’s still der fuhrer.

    • James Lewis says:

      Dear Hairy:

      Please. Please stop the bsing. Gasoline started going up the week after Biden’s steal occurred.

      Trump asked the Saudis to slow down because the Left’s Country Shut Down was reducing the demand without doing jack shit to slow the spread of Covid.

      So please. Please stfu with this utter BS.

  3. alanstorm says:

    Joe, look up the term “schmuck”.

    You’ll see a picture of yourself.

  4. […] Joe Manchin, he thought he could trust his own party…………. William Teach knows […]

  5. James Lewis says:

    Dear Hairy:

    Please. Please stop the bsing. Gasoline started going up the week after Biden’s steal occurred.

    Trump asked the Saudis to slow down because the Left’s Country Shut Down was reducing the demand without doing jack shit to slow the spread of Covid.

    So please. Please stfu with this utter BS.

  6. MrToad says:

    Pretty clever how Manchin played all of us. This whole bill belongs to him…unless the DNC wants to take ownership, like this.

    “By gosh, by golly I was played. Those darn radical democrats! Where’s the nearest ATM?”

    Don’t think for a minute that Manchin didn’t sell the West Virginia vote to Schumer for goodies up front. Manchin has been dancing the government spending bill waltz for a long time.

Pirate's Cove