Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act
Date Released: September 30, 2026
By: U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.)
Key Highlights:
- Purpose: To deliver cheaper energy, increase job opportunities, and ensure responsible growth while maintaining environmental protections.
1. Cheaper Energy:
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Increased Supply: The legislation aims to boost the electricity supply and reduce costs.
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Transmission Expansion:
- Strengthens the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERC) authority to approve major interstate power lines.
- Allows for simultaneous processing of transmission applications and state reviews.
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Grid Improvements:
- Requires planning for future electricity demand.
- Promotes connection of new energy projects to the grid.
- Ensures participation of distributed generation sources in wholesale electricity markets.
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Fair Cost Distribution:
- Mandates that data centers pay their transmission costs instead of passing expenses onto families and small businesses.
2. Good-Paying Jobs:
- Job Creation: Focuses on building transmission and clean energy projects.
- Permitting Certainty:
- Prohibits any administration from stalling permits for classes of energy projects.
3. Responsible Growth:
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Streamlined Reviews:
- Two-year deadlines for Environmental Impact Statements and one-year for Environmental Assessments are established.
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Historical Preservation:
- Introduces a new process for the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) consultation.
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Legal Boundaries:
- Sets a 150-day limit for legal challenges related to environmental laws.
- Clarifies who can contest projects, emphasizing participation in the consultation process.
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State Involvement:
- States can manage endangered species consultations if qualified.
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Limitations on Challenges:
- Clearly defines the scope of state water-quality reviews and prevents retroactive changes by the EPA.
For full text and additional information, please refer to the complete document linked here and accompanying materials here.
