America has plenty of energy ambition. Getting permission to act on it is another matter. For former U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, the way through that problem starts with a Washington skill that has fallen out of fashion: taking a deal that makes the country better, even when it does not give anyone everything they want.
In his conversation with C3 President Nick Loris, Manchin drew on his work with John Barrasso to explain why permitting reform is inseparable from investment confidence. A company can account for construction costs and market risk. A permit that might unravel after years of litigation—or disappear when an administration changes—is a much harder proposition. Durable, bipartisan legislation gives investors something executive orders cannot: a stronger reason to believe the rules will outlast the next election.
Manchin also offered a practical lesson from his years as governor. Give a major project one accountable person to guide it through government, from the first application to the finish line. His prescription paired institutional reform with human relationships: officials who take responsibility, lawmakers who know one another, and negotiators willing to bank real progress. He was cautious about Congress’s immediate prospects. The need to build, however, leaves little room for waiting on a perfect bill.
