EEI Statement on Infrastructure Executive Order

WASHINGTON, Aug. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Edison Electric Institute (EEI) President Tom Kuhn issued the following statement on President Trump's Executive Order on infrastructure permitting and siting.

"EEI and its member companies thank President Trump for taking steps to help improve the siting and permitting processes for energy infrastructure projects. Obtaining permits from federal agencies in a timely manner remains one of the most significant obstacles electric companies face when siting and building the infrastructure that delivers safe, reliable, affordable, and increasingly clean energy to customers. 

"The permitting and siting of energy infrastructure on federal lands are subject to a wide array of land-use authorizations and associated environmental reviews. As a result, the average timeframe for permitting and siting an interstate transmission line is approximately seven to 10 years. The electric power industry fully supports streamlining and expediting the process for permitting and siting energy infrastructure to ensure that energy can get where it is needed, when it is needed.

"The Executive Order signed by President Trump yesterday sets a two-year goal for the federal government to complete the permitting process for infrastructure projects. This is a positive step forward that will better enable electric companies to make even more investments in important infrastructure projects that support American jobs and benefit customers. We look forward to working with the Administration and Congress on additional ways to streamline the permitting and siting process to advance energy infrastructure."

EEI is the association that represents all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. Our members provide electricity for about 220 million Americans, and operate in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. As a whole, the electric power industry supports more than 7 million jobs in communities across the United States. In addition to our U.S. members, EEI has more than 60 international electric companies, with operations in more than 90 countries, as International Members, and hundreds of industry suppliers and related organizations as Associate Members. Organized in 1933, EEI provides public policy leadership, strategic business intelligence, and essential conferences and forums.

SOURCE Edison Electric Institute