Stand Together interviewed Nick Loris in a piece on permitting.
What are the biggest barriers facing data center construction today?
Nick Loris: The challenge is not necessarily the construction of data centers themselves. Instead, the bottleneck is the outdated and complex permitting system that is delaying development of the energy infrastructure needed to power them. Unnecessary reviews, excessive litigation, and abuse by small groups seeking to stop projects they oppose are just a few of the barriers posed by the current system.
The permitting problem affects the range of energy infrastructure, including natural gas pipelines, transmission lines, and semiconductor facilities. Ironically, many projects designed to benefit the environment, such as solar- and wind-powered infrastructure, are delayed by unnecessary or duplicative environmental reviews.
Blame Environmental Regulations for U.S. Solar’s Troubles
The Wall Street Journal published Drew Bond’s letter to the editor on what has held back the solar industry in