Forbes
How North Dakota Mastered The Permitting Game
News Release
Frack to the Future with North Dakota’s permitting success
Today, the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) released a new report highlighting North Dakota’s user-friendly environmental permitting laws. “North Dakota has always been rich with…
Study
Frack to the Future
Introduction North Dakota is typically known for the Badlands, agriculture, Fargo (thanks, Coen brothers), cold weather, and its flat landscape. Yet, due to technological advancements…
News Release
CEI releases new report detailing how states are improving environmental permitting policies
Today, the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) released a new report detailing how states across the country are improving their environmental permitting systems to become…
Study
Laboratories of Bureaucracy
Introduction The United States faces significant challenges in modernizing its infrastructure and meeting evolving energy needs. One of the obstacles is the complex and time-consuming…
Forbes
House Reconciliation Bill Takes Aim At Regulation, But Needs Fixes
Congressional Republicans are moving one step closer to achieving their long-sought goal of overhauling the regulatory state. Tucked into the House Judiciary Committee’s …
News Release
Pumping the brakes on permitting reform in Michigan: CEI report
Today, the Competitive Enterprise Institute released a new report on Michigan’s recent history of environmental permitting policies. “Michigan has undergone several attempts in recent…
Study
Pumping the Brakes on Reform
This report examines Michigan’s recent permitting reforms, highlighting how some productive efforts to enhance accountability and efficiency have largely stalled. While the state took steps…
Blog
Time to shut down IRIS—for good
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reportedly preparing to eliminate its Office of Research and Development, which houses the controversial Integrated Risk Information System…
Fox News
Trump’s executive order surge: The unprecedented use of presidential authority
Fox News cited CEI’s expert on federal government power Trump’s approach signals that power has been diverted away from Congress and that the …
Wall Street Journal
Zero Is the Magic Number for Cutting Red Tape
One of President Trump’s executive orders could transform how the federal government reviews and manages energy regulations that rule and constrain our lives.
News Release
President Trump announces Executive Orders aimed at slashing overregulation within federal agencies: CEI analysis
On Wednesday, President Trump announced several Executive Orders aimed at slashing overregulation in federal agencies through sunsetting and repealing outdated or unnecessary rules. The Orders…
Comment
Comment on Interim Final Rule, Removal of National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Regulations
Dear Council on Environmental Quality: I appreciate the opportunity to comment on the Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) interim final rule removing its National Environmental…
News Release
Report: Energy Infrastructure in Dire Need of Reforms for our AI Future
America’s homes, businesses, and industries rely on the nation’s electric grid system, but that system faces big challenges. A new Competitive Enterprise Institute report examines…
Study
Powering Intelligence: Meeting AI’s Energy Needs in a Changing Electricity Landscape
Introduction The electric grid is one of the most critical pieces of infrastructure underpinning modern life, yet it faces growing threats from increased demand, regulatory…
Blog
Trump should eliminate this troubled risk assessment program
Among Washington’s sprawling regulatory bureaucracies, one program has quietly shaped environmental policy for decades. The EPA’s Integrated Risk Information System, known as IRIS, influences…
News Release
Surfing the environmental permitting bureaucracy in Hawaii: CEI report
Hawaii’s environmental permitting system sits at a crucial moment in history, with the destruction of homes and businesses on Maui in the August 2023 wildfires…
Study
Aloha Approvals
Hawaii’s permitting system is at a critical juncture, faced with the dual challenges of rebuilding in the wake of the 2023 Maui wildfires and addressing…
Forbes
Like DOGE, Virginia Is Leading The Way On Government Efficiency
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is one of the most high-profile experiments in Trump’s second administration. With billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk at the helm,…
News Release
Trump’s speech to Congress spotlights deregulatory efforts: CEI analysis
On Tuesday evening, President Trump delivered a speech to a joint session of Congress where he highlighted his administration’s deregulatory efforts across the federal government.
Forbes
Signs Of A Renewed Regulatory Reform Push From DOGE
Over the last half year, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has undergone an unexpected journey. What began as an idea envisioned by Elon Musk—and…
Politico
Trump executive order requires sweeping review of federal regulations
CEI’s expert was cited on Politico federal regulations. But other conservatives were surprised the executive didn’t go further, including metrics for what success looks like.
News Release
Executive Order aims to fight overregulation and unlawfulness in federal agencies: CEI analysis
A new Executive Order signed by President Trump entitled “Ensuring Lawful Governance and Implementing the President’s ‘DOGE’ Regulatory Initiative,” aims to continue the Department…
Forbes
Trump Moves To Repeal Burdensome NEPA Rules—What’s Next?
Op-Eds
Trump’s New Executive Order Targets Independent Agencies
Blog
The good, the bad, and the ugly in Trump’s new regulation executive order
President Donald Trump issued a new executive order on regulation Friday reviving some of the core ideas from his first term. The order brings…
Blog
DOGE at a crossroads – An opportunity for real regulatory reform
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) began with a promise to revolutionize Washington, bringing a chainsaw to government with sweeping regulatory and budget cuts. However,…
Products
Free to Prosper: Energy and environment
Products
Free to Prosper: Artificial intelligence
Blog
Wildfires and the precautionary principle: Why being ‘safe’ isn’t always safer
As wildfires rage across Los Angeles and devastate communities, the issue of wildfire management has never been more important. At the heart of this issue…
Forbes
Practical Policy Options To Address Wildfire Risk
As wildfires rage across Los Angeles, shrouding neighborhoods in smoke and threatening homes and lives, the urgency of addressing wildfire risks has never been clearer.
Forbes
Biden’s Offshore Drilling Ban Sets Stage For Showdown With Trump
President Joe Biden took a shot at the incoming Trump administration this week by issuing a sweeping ban on new oil and gas leasing across…
Citation
The Bark and Bite of DOGE
Forbes
Republicans’ Next Reconciliation Bill Should Include These Reforms
Republicans are already planning at least one, and possibly two, major budget reconciliation packages in the next Congress. Reconciliation bills allow lawmakers…
News Release
Minnesota’s cautionary environmental permitting history: CEI report
Lawmakers in Minnesota, including former Gov. Mark Dayton, have made environmental permitting reforms to make the system efficient and effective. These reforms, noted in a…
Study
Feeling Minnesota
Minnesota’s efforts to streamline environmental permitting under former Gov. Mark Dayton (D) initially saw some success, with reforms aimed at reducing approval times for priority…
News Release
North Carolina’s deregulatory approach to environmental permitting reform
A new Competitive Enterprise Institute report highlights North Carolina’s commitment to significantly reforming its environmental permitting system. The reforms, which focused on accelerating project approvals…
Study
Basketball vs. Bureaucracy
North Carolina’s permitting reforms in recent years have significantly reshaped the state’s regulatory landscape, focusing on accelerating project approvals and reducing bureaucratic delays. Key changes…
WSJ Opinion
Recipe for a Regulatory Spring Cleaning
Despite bold promises from Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, skeptics doubt that the Department of Government Efficiency can deliver sweeping changes. The scope of federal regulation makes…
Blog
Concerning transmission provisions in the Energy Permitting Reform Act
As Congress enters its lame duck period, the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024, introduced by Senators Joe Manchin (I-WV) and John Barrasso (R-WY),…
Forbes
A Trump 2.0 Agenda For Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence represents an unprecedented economic opportunity as well as a complex security challenge for the United States. As Trump gets set to begin his…
Study
Mardi Gras for Permits
The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality’s (LDEQ) Expedited Permit Program, established in 2006, represents an innovative approach to speeding up environmental permit approvals. This report…
Blog
Republicans should wait for real permitting reform in the new Congress
The 2024 election has dramatically shifted the political landscape, with Republicans securing control of both chambers of Congress and the White House. As Washington prepares…
Forbes
Court’s NEPA Ruling Casts Doubt On CEQ Authority
The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals dropped a bombshell this week that could reshape how federal agencies implement environmental laws. In …
Business Insider
The future of betting markets
Business Insider cited CEI’s expert on the future of election betting markets Prediction markets are “going to attract people who want to influencepublic perception,” Broughel…
News Release
Report: Washington state environmental permitting reform needs further fixing
A new Competitive Enterprise Institute report provides an in-depth analysis of Washington state’s environmental permitting record. Washington has reformed several aspects of its permitting…
Study
Permanently in Recovery
Washington state has made some significant strides in reforming its environmental permitting processes through its Permit Timelinesss initiative. The Governor’s Office for Regulatory Innovation and…
Cedar Rapids Gazette
Iowa permit reforms can be a national model
Iowa may be known for its fields of corn and soybeans, but it should also be recognized for something less visible yet just as significant:…
Testimony
A Menu of Options for Oklahoma Regulatory Reform
Testimony before the Oklahoma interim study committee on administrative rules reform Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today. I apologize for not…
News Release
Report shines light on Arizona’s positive permitting reforms
A new Competitive Enterprise Institute report highlights the positives of Arizona’s environmental permitting system. Under the leadership of Gov. Katie Hobbs and former Gov.
Study
Boosting Business in the Desert
Recent permitting reforms in Arizona have focused on streamlining regulatory processes to improve the state’s business climate. Developments include passage of the 2023 Permit Freedom…
Forbes
Dockworker Strike Highlights Automation Fears, But Here’s How It’s Helping Us
The recently suspended dockworkers’ strike along the U.S. Eastern seaboard and Gulf coast reflects growing unease among port workers about…
Forbes
The Social Cost Of Carbon Is A Flawed Metric For Policy Decisions
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is updating its social cost of carbon (SCC) estimate as part of a proposed rulemaking setting energy…
Blog
Iowa’s ‘Lean-in’ approach to successful permitting reform
The State of Iowa has made significant strides in improving its environmental permitting processes, thanks to innovative reforms spearheaded by the state’s Department of Natural…
News Release
Report highlights the positives of Iowa’s environmental permitting process
A new Competitive Enterprise Institute report highlights the achievements Iowa has accomplished in improving its environmental permitting system, making infrastructure projects and economic growth…
Study
Corn Whiskey Clarity
Over the past two decades, Iowa has implemented several reforms aimed at enhancing the efficiency of its environmental permitting procedures. This report focuses on two…
Forbes
NIST AI Guidelines Misplace Responsibility For Managing Risks
Policymakers are scrambling to keep pace with technological advancements in artificial intelligence. The recent release of draft guidelines from the U.S. AI Safety Institute, a…
Forbes
Unpacking The Pros And Cons Of The Energy Permitting Reform Act Of 2024
As the 118th Congress winds down, Senators Joe Manchin (I-WV) and John Barrasso (R-WY) have introduced the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024.
Blog
The power of proceduralism: Lessons from New York’s Uniform Procedures Act
Within the labyrinth of environmental regulation, good intentions often pave the way to bureaucratic nightmares. But amidst the tangle of red tape, there occasionally emerges…
Study
Empire State of Mind
Executive Summary New York State’s environmental permitting procedures represent a mixed bag. On the one hand, the Uniform Procedures Act (UPA), signed into law in…
News Release
Report evaluates Colorado’s environmental permitting process
The Competitive Enterprise Institute today released a new report examining environmental permitting in Colorado, the latest in a series of reports on this topic. “Colorado…
Study
Distilling Efficiency
Colorado has made notable efforts to streamline its environmental permitting processes over the past few decades through initiatives like the Colorado Joint Review Process (CJRP),…
The Square Center
Study would review DEP permits to ‘get government out of the way’
The Center Square cited CEI on DEP permits An analysis from the Competitive Enterprise Institute found that DEP’s regional offices vary dramatically in the time it…
Forbes
Why Corporate Regulation Cannot Safeguard Against AI Existential Risks
As artificial intelligence continues to advance at an unprecedented pace, concerns about existential risks posed by this transformative technology have received increasing attention. While existential risks…
News Release
Report Explores Environmental Permitting Reform in Virginia
Today the Competitive Enterprise Institute released a report on environmental permitting in the state of Virginia, part of a series examining how states are…
Study
Transparency on Tap
The Commonwealth of Virginia has been implementing a Virginia Permit Transparency (VPT) initiative over the last several years, which includes an online permitting portal designed…
Blog
Regulations hit small businesses and low-income households hardest
There are about 33.3 million small businesses in the United States, comprising 99.9 percent of all American businesses. About half of all employees work for…
Study
Champagne Regulations on a Beer Budget
Regulation is often regarded as akin to a tax, albeit one that takes place off of the government’s books. Similar to a value-added tax, it…
News Release
Report: Regulations disproportionately impose costs on small businesses
A new Competitive Enterprise Institute report identifies ways that federal regulations impose unfair costs and perverse incentives on small businesses every year. “From an equity…
Forbes
Senate AI Working Group’s Roadmap Leaves Many Questions Unanswered
Last week, the Senate AI Working Group released an eagerly-awaited roadmap report, “Driving U.S. Innovation in Artificial Intelligence: A Roadmap for Artificial Intelligence Policy in the United…
Forbes
CEQ’s Empty Promises On Permit Streamlining
The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) recently finalized its Phase II rule under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which it is touting as a “Bipartisan Permitting…
Reason
The Scandalous Science Behind Nuclear Regulation
Nuclear power could be a game-changer for energy affordability, grid reliability, and carbon reduction. However, it’s been stifled for decades based on one deeply flawed…
Forbes
TikTok Ban Lands A Blow To Intellectual Discourse Online
The TikTok ban, once perceived as a remote threat, is now the law of the land, enshrined into U.S. law through a…
News Release
Report: ‘Radiophobia’ Drives U.S. Nuclear Policy
A new Competitive Enterprise Institute report challenges an anti-nuclear power policy that is a case study on how not to regulate and govern. Nuclear power…
Blog
The flawed foundations of radiation risk assessment
The debate surrounding nuclear power has long been shaped by complex scientific, political, and social factors. At the heart of this debate lies the question…
Study
Myths and Facts in Radiation Risks
Introduction Nuclear power is probably the only known energy source that can support the world’s growing energy needs while simultaneously reducing global carbon dioxide emissions.1…
Forbes
TikTok Is A Beacon Of Democracy In The Social Media Landscape
Recent developments in the U.S. House of Representatives have put TikTok, the immensely popular Chinese-owned social media app, in the crosshairs of lawmakers. The House…
EconLib
The Inheritances that Matter Most
Inheritances can be controversial because some people inherit enormous wealth while others inherit nothing or even debts. Due to this apparent inequity, even the archconservative…
American Institute for Economic Research
Biden Redoubles Effort to Crush Crypto With EIA’s Mining Survey
The Biden administration has launched yet another attack against the cryptocurrency industry–an environmental impact “survey” to bolster a politically motivated attack on the crypto mining…
American Institute for Economic Research
Biden Redoubles Effort to Crush Crypto With EIA’s Mining Survey
The Biden administration has launched yet another attack against the cryptocurrency industry–an environmental impact “survey” to bolster a politically motivated attack on the crypto mining…
The Center Square
Study: Mixed record on permitting reform offers some hope
CEI’s James Broughel provided comments to The Center Square about a study he authored: “Pennsylvania’s a state where energy is very important to its…
News Release
Lasting reforms needed to break Pennsylvania’s environmental permitting backlog
Pennsylvania has a long history of reforming its permitting practices to improve efficiency, but despite periods of progress and some improvements in average review times,…
Study
Breaking the Backlog
Pennsylvania has a long history of reforming its environmental permitting practices to improve efficiency. Despite periods of progress and some improvements in average review…
Forbes
Truth Social Trading Frenzy Shouldn’t Concern The SEC
This past week, the stock price of Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), the parent company of Donald Trump’s social media start-up Truth Social, has…
Op-Eds
Cutting Corners and Nickel-and-Diming Customers
In macroeconomics, the “circular flow of income” refers to the continuous flow of money between producers and consumers in the economy. Producers provide goods and…
Forbes
How The Biden Administration’s ‘Junk Fee’ Policies Will Hurt Consumers
In his State of the Union address last week, President Joe Biden touted his policies against “junk fees,” vowing to save Americans billions…
Forbes
How Tech Companies Are Powering Their Operations With Nuclear And Renewables
In a noteworthy move, Amazon Web Services (AWS) recently acquired Talen Energy’s 960MW data center campus in Pennsylvania, which draws power from the neighboring 2.5GW Susquehanna nuclear…
Forbes
The Quiet Threat To Science Posed By ‘Indigenous Knowledge’
“Indigenous knowledge” is in the spotlight thanks to President Biden, who issued an executive order within days of taking office, aimed at ushering…
Blog
EPA’s Scientific Integrity Policy is unscientific, lacks integrity
The Environmental Protection Agency recently released a draft update to its “Scientific Integrity Policy,” which aims to ensure the agency’s science-based decisions and…
Comment
Scientific Integrity Policy Draft for Public Comment
February 23, 2024 Docket ID: EPA-HQ-ORD-2023-0240; FRL-10973-01-ORD Submitted via Regulations.gov. Comments Submitted by the Competitive Enterprise Institute, Energy & Environment Legal Institute, Domestic Energy Producers…
Forbes
Reimagining Antitrust In A Post-Consumer Welfare Standard World
The consumer welfare standard that has guided antitrust enforcement for four decades is under attack. That standard, often associated with the ideas of legal scholar and failed…
Forbes
Surge In Academic Retractions Should Put U.S. Scholars On Notice
A December article in Nature highlighted an alarming new record: more than 10,000 academic papers were retracted in 2023 alone, largely stemming from manipulation of the peer…
Blog
The threat to sound economics isn’t over
This week, the New York Stock Exchange withdrew its proposal to create a new designation for public companies called Natural Asset Companies, or NACs.
News Release
CEI Scholar Selected for Hoover Institution Initiative on Policies Impacting Small Business
CEI is delighted that the renowned Hoover Institution has chosen CEI Senior Fellow James Broughel as a Visiting Fellow for its Small Business Regulation program.
Comment
CEI Comments on SEC Proposed Rule Change to Amend the NYSE Listed Company Manual
January 17, 2024 Docket ID: Release Nos. 34-99225, File No. SR-NYSE-2023-09 Self-Regulatory Organizations; New York Stock Exchange LLC; Order Instituting Proceedings to Determine Whether…
Blog
Don’t make crypto the electricity scapegoat
A radical new tax proposed by the Biden administration would make cryptocurrency mining the scapegoat for electricity usage. The so-called Digital Asset Mining Energy (DAME)…
Study
Don’t Depower Crypto
Introduction In President Biden’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget blueprint,1 the president proposed a new tax aimed at the electricity use caused by cryptocurrency mining. Known…
News Release
Report: Energy Tax Targeting Crypto Industry – Bad Idea for a New Year
A new Competitive Enterprise Institute report investigates whether the energy usage of certain cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin merits a targeted electricity tax on the industry…
Forbes
Artificial Intelligence Trends To Watch In 2024
Making predictions is always hard, especially in an industry moving as quickly as artificial intelligence. But as we stand on the cusp of a new…
Forbes
Biden’s Counterproductive Crusade Against Junk Fees
In his latest effort to protect consumers, President Biden is promising to save Americans billions each year by eliminating so-called “junk fees.” Biden’s…