Alex Amonette and Poonam Medberry: Comprehensive energy permitting reform is essential for meeting Washington’s clean-energy goals

By Alex Amonette and Poonam Medberry

We’re on the cusp of something great here in Washington.

Beginning this year, Washington utilities will be prohibited from relying on coal-generated power, decreasing high-level air and water pollution.

Phasing out coal marks the first of three major steps mandated under the state’s 2019 Clean Energy Transformation Act – a sweeping legislation requiring utilities to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and fully transition to carbon-free electricity by 2045.

But, Washington’s clean energy goals depend not just on ambition, but on speed, scale, and grid access, all constrained by permitting.

In her article, “As WA’s coal ban looms, Montana wind fills only some of the energy gap,” (which was published in The Spokesman-Review on Dec. 6) reporter Amanda Zhou spotlights Puget Sound Energy’s Beaver Creek 248-megawatt wind farm in Stillwater County, Montana. The wind farm is part of PSE’s strategy to “rid itself of fossil fuels.”

PSE built Beaver Creek, and other renewable projects, to meet CETA’s requirements for “at least 80% renewable electricity sources by 2030 and 100% by 2045.” Currently, around 50% of PSE’s electricity is from renewables.

Some argue continued reliance on fossil fuels might be needed to “bridge the gap”, on capacity and affordability. But, power use is rising fast and the demand for fossil fuels is peaking. Energy costs are rising nationally; electricity prices were higher in 2025 than 2024. Using clean energy is essential to meet the affordability crunch and bridge the gap.

To minimize reliance on fossil fuels as a bridge, Congress can legislate comprehensive permitting reforms now to help states like WA meet their clean-energy goals and address the challenging schedule WA utilities face to comply with the CETA.

We urge Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray (Washington) and Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy (Montana) and both states’ representatives to expedite permitting reforms now to fix interstate transmission, federal permitting rules and national grid coordination.

Washington’s clean-energy goals depend on speed, scale and grid access; all constrained by permitting. Without a new transmission grid, Washington cannot meet its 2045 clean-energy requirements. Comprehensive permitting reforms could decrease timelines and associated delays; speed up the expansion of electric transmission grid infrastructure; scale to double or triple capacity to transmit clean energy by 2050; and remove bottleneck to building the clean-energy (solar, wind, batteries, biomass) projects in interconnection queues.

Long permitting timelines increase project costs, delay access to cheaper power and force reliance on fossil fuels. Doing nothing favors fossil fuels by default.

Permitting reform needs to include addressing barriers like transmission grid planning. Transmission projects typically take five to 15 years to complete and dysfunctional planning and cost-allocation processes delay projects even without permitting.

Our nation needs to double or triple capacity to transmit clean electricity by 2050. The grid needs sufficient capacity to handle new power generation. New transmission capacity will make the grid stable and affordable.

Texas is a good example of what happens when transmission is built proactively. Fossil fuel generation stays flat, and nearly all new demand is met by wind, solar, and batteries.

One additional bonus is that we could realize a projected 6.5 billion tons of avoided climate pollution from transmission permitting reforms alone.

Our energy ecosystem has changed significantly. Most deployed new projects are clean energy, are affordable, and fast to deploy. Building new clean power makes sense, however clean energy doesn’t fail for lack of wind or sun – it fails when it can’t reach the grid. As a bonus, clean energy should make Washington competitive for private sector investments currently stalled by transmission constraints.

Montana wind works for Washington customers but won’t scale without federal permitting reform.

Congress is in a unique position to advance clean-energy goals, by prioritizing comprehensive permitting reforms that expedite transmission, provide regulatory certainty, preserve environmental protections and prioritize community engagement.

Beaver Creek shows what’s possible. Permitting reform will determine whether it’s the exception – or the norm.

Alex Amonette, of Big Timber, Montana, lived in Richland for 18 years and now volunteers with Citizens’ Climate Lobby in Montana. She has a view of the Beaver Creek Wind Farm. Poonam Medberry is a scientist and CCL volunteer from Mercer Island, Washington.