Industry groups hailed Westerman's "permit certainty" breakthrough. @oceanindustries prez Erik Milito called it a “meaningful step forward providing greater confidence in U.S. investments,” & Rich Powell, CEO of @CleanEnergyBA, touted SPEED Act “improved significantly” in markup

Dem @RepScottPeters told me he “understands the political problem Bruce has dealing w/ retroactivity" but hopes for more changes. “It would be smart for him, because it is nowhere close to responding to the biggest concern Democrats have," ranking member @JaredHuffman told me

Dems largely didn't vote for SPEED Act as they look for stronger changes, such as preventing administrations from interfering in the permitting process before a project is approved, and retroactively undoing Trump moves against solar/wind projects along with Burgum/Interior memo

Westerman told me talks on compromise "permit certainty" language started at staff level during government shutdown, and that he consulted w/Trump admin on the language

“We're certainly not through negotiating, but I can with a good conscience say we got through that really major issue of permit certainty,” Westerman told me. “We'll get even more votes if we can resolve some issues" raised by Dems looking to stop admins from permit meddling

NEW in ME: I sat down w/@NatResources Chair Bruce Westerman after his SPEED Act win. He told me he reached deal w/Dems the night before markup on key change to restrain a president's authority to cancel energy project permits. And he vows to make more changes before floor vote

NEW story here: Westerman’s bipartisan NEPA permitting overhaul advances to House floor

NEW: the SPEED Act is approved by @NatResources with this amendment by a 25-18 vote. 2 Democrats voted for the overall NEPA overhaul bill from Chair Westerman. Reps. Jared Golden, the lead Dem co-sponsor and Adam Gray of California. Story to come

NEW: Natural Resources Committee approves measure to stop executive branch revoking energy permits. Big development on a bipartisan amendment that Chair Westerman brokered w/Dems to his SPEED Act/NEPA overhaul. Unclear how it'll move votes on the bill

NEW: Natural Resources Committee approves measure to stop executive branch revoking energy permits. Big development on a bipartisan amendment that Chair Westerman brokered w/Dems to his SPEED Act/NEPA overhaul. Unclear how it'll move votes on the bill

@Rep_Magaziner @RepHuffman The bipartisan exec branch "permit certainty" amendment passes. Big development. Chair @RepWesterman says he's hopeful "it's going to provide certainty that can get many more people on board to support" the SPEED Act and broader permitting reform

@Rep_Magaziner Ranking member @RepHuffman says the amendment "does nothing to stop the myriad ways the Trump admin is not even allowing clean energy projects to get into the queue and have a fair chance at getting a permit" "Retroactive revocation is one small part of the problem," he adds

@Rep_Magaziner And Westerman also backs the amendment, a spokes tells me. Some Dems back the amendment but are saying it's not enough. They want front end action to prevent an admin from interfering in permitting process, referencing Interior's memo elevating routine decisions to Sec Burgum

@Rep_Magaziner NEW Rep. Jared Golden, the lead Dem co-sponsor of SPEED Act, introduces an amendment to limit exec branch from revoking, stalling on approved permits. Republican Rep. Pete Stauber co-sponsors the amendment. Could move some Dem votes if adopted

Key committee swing Dem vote @Rep_Magaziner sounds like he's leaning no. Says he appreciates Chair Westerman's "willingness to have a conversation with many of us...but unfortunately, I'm concerned that the bill does not do enough to stop the administration's war on clean energy"

Live at @NatResources markup of SPEED Act/NEPA overhaul. Expect Dems to offer amendments ensuring equal treatment for renewable projects in permitting process & overturning onerous requirements Trump has imposed on wind/solar approvals. Rs are promising some bipartisan amendments

Full statement from Rep. Peters to me here

"I hope that as the bill is marked up and moves to the House floor, we can find a way to my and several of my colleagues’ remaining concerns," @RepScottPeters said, including preventing the Trump Administration from revoking permits for new wind/solar projects

NEW: In a statement, Dem permitting negotiator Rep. Scott Peters calls Nat Resources Chair Bruce Westerman's SPEED Act (NEPA reform) a "huge step forward." Peters urges it to be marked up. But he urges changes in broader negotiations, including on exec branch "permit certainty"

Democrat @RepJoshHarder, who chairs the Build American Caucus, held a permitting reform roundtable today that included a bipartisan group of nearly 20 members. They talked about the Problem Solvers Caucus' recent permitting framework & heard from energy experts/other leaders