The rocky road to a new permitting law

Top Republicans and Democrats on the Senate's energy and environment panels on Wednesday dropped a 417-page bipartisan permitting bill that includes new limits on lawsuit duration and review scope under the Clean Water Act and NEPA, a stronger federal hand in transmission siting, and protections for previously issued permits. Major business and energy groups cheered the deal, and the White House backs quick passage, but co-author Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said the road ahead remains long.