From Bottleneck to Breakthrough: A Blueprint for Permitting Reform

About this Report

From Bottleneck to Breakthrough: A Blueprint for Permitting Reform outlines a critical call to action for modernizing the United States’ outdated and fragmented energy infrastructure permitting system. The report highlights how surging energy demand—driven by electrification, AI and data center expansion, and LNG exports—is outpacing the country’s ability to build essential pipelines, power plants, and storage facilities.

Between 2010 and 2022, natural gas demand rose by 49%, but pipeline (26% growth) and storage (2% growth) capacity grew far more slowly, creating bottlenecks that threaten economic growth, national security, and global competitiveness. The current permitting process— bogged down by lengthy reviews, litigation risks, and overlapping regulations—is failing to keep up, leading to higher costs, supply insecurity, and missed opportunities in the global energy and technology race.

To address these challenges, the report proposes a two-pronged approach: immediate reforms to streamline existing processes—such as clarifying NEPA reviews and reducing procedural delays—and the development of a new, standardized permitting framework for qualified projects. This “Qualified Infrastructure Authorizations” system would accelerate approvals for projects that meet pre-determined environmental and safety standards, while maintaining robust oversight.

The goal is to balance speed, predictability, and environmental protection, ensuring the U.S. can build the infrastructure needed to power its economy, secure its energy future, and maintain its leadership in a rapidly evolving global landscape.

About the Study Participants

The NPC assembled a diverse study team of approximately 110 experts from over 40 organizations, many from outside of the oil and gas industry. These participants served on the study’s committee, subcommittee, and task groups. The study participants were drawn from NPC members’ organizations as well as from many other industries, federal and state agencies, environmental and other NGOs, other public-interest groups, financial institutions, consultancies, academia, and research groups.

About the National Petroleum Council

The National Petroleum Council (NPC) is an organization whose sole purpose is to provide advice to the federal government. At President Harry Truman's request, this federally chartered and privately funded advisory group was established by the Secretary of the Interior in 1946 to represent the oil and natural gas industry's views to the federal government: advising, informing, and recommending policy options. During World War II, under President Franklin Roosevelt, the federal government and the Petroleum Industry War Council worked closely together to mobilize the oil supplies that fueled the Allied victory. President Truman's goal was to continue that successful cooperation in the uncertain postwar years. Today, the NPC is chartered by the Secretary of Energy under the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972, and the views represented are considerably broader than those of the oil and natural gas industry.

Council members, about 200 in number, are appointed by the Energy Secretary to assure well-balanced representation from all segments of the oil and natural gas industry, from all sections of the country, and from large and small companies. Members are also appointed from outside the oil and natural gas industry, representing related interests such as large consumers, states, Native Americans, and academic, financial, research, and public-interest organizations and institutions. The Council provides a forum for informed dialogue on issues involving energy, security, the economy, and the environment of an ever-changing world.