A Roadmap for the Clean Energy Future We Need

The document advocates for expanding U.S. electricity transmission to meet climate goals while rejecting the idea that speed requires gutting environmental protections. It argues that upfront community engagement and holistic planning actually accelerate project delivery, citing a 2022 MIT study and offshore wind projects in Maryland. The author calls for the Biden administration and FERC to address transmission bottlenecks and for Congress to pass the Environmental Justice for All Act and the CHARGE Act of 2022 to ensure the transition is equitable and efficient.

• The U.S. faces significant grid constraints, with approximately one terawatt of renewable energy currently unable to connect to the grid due to transmission and interconnection barriers.
• Early engagement with local communities and stakeholders can prevent project delays or cancellations; a 2022 MIT study of 53 large-scale clean energy projects found that "early engagement with potential local opponents can avoid extended delays or project cancellations."
• In Maryland, comprehensive upfront engagement was essential for the approval of 1654 MW of offshore wind power, which has the capacity to power one million homes.
• The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides $1 billion to fund agencies responsible for siting and permitting, which can be used to resolve historical understaffing in NEPA reviews and expedite legally compliant environmental assessments.

APA

Wollack, L. (2022). A Roadmap for the Clean Energy Future We Need. Earthjustice. https://earthjustice.org/experts/abigail-dillen/a-roadmap-for-the-clean-energy-future-we-need

Chicago

Wollack, Lauren. A Roadmap for the Clean Energy Future We Need. Earthjustice, 2022. https://earthjustice.org/experts/abigail-dillen/a-roadmap-for-the-clean-energy-future-we-need.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Wollack |first1=Lauren |title=A Roadmap for the Clean Energy Future We Need |publisher=Earthjustice |date=22 December 2022 |url=https://earthjustice.org/experts/abigail-dillen/a-roadmap-for-the-clean-energy-future-we-need |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{wollack2022roadmap, author = {Wollack, Lauren}, title = {{A Roadmap for the Clean Energy Future We Need}}, publisher = {Earthjustice}, year = {2022}, month = dec, url = {https://earthjustice.org/experts/abigail-dillen/a-roadmap-for-the-clean-energy-future-we-need}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }