Nikki Chiappa

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Articles

NEPA Nightmares III: The Surry-Skiffes Creek-Whealton Transmission Line

Sep 25, 2024 | breakthroughjournal.org | Nikki Chiappa

By Nikki ChiappaThe National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) is a major source of permitting delay for important clean energy infrastructure. NEPA lawsuits, filed disproportionately by large environmental NGOs, pose a real, sizable, and concerning risk to clean energy development and the future of American decarbonization. The most contentious NEPA challenges filed between 2013 and 2022, on average, delayed clean energy projects by just under 4 years.
NEPA Nightmares

Aug 28, 2024 | thebreakthroughjournal.substack.com | Nikki Chiappa

By Nikki Chiappa The Biden administration ushered in a new age of climate optimism. The Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included billions of dollars for investment in clean energy research and deployment. But while they were lauded by environmentalists as transformational upon their passage, these bills have quickly run into the buzzsaw of punishing regulations, proceduralist permitting hoops, and litigious environmentalists.
Congress Must Seize the Opportunity to Pass the Energy Permitting…

Jul 26, 2024 | thebreakthrough.org | Nikki Chiappa |Seaver T. Wang

It takes too long and wastes too many public and private resources to build energy infrastructure in the United States. aims to change that. This bill would streamline the permitting process for energy and mineral projects across the United States, cutting down on wasteful delays and saving taxpayer dollars in the process.
Understanding NEPA Litigation

Jul 11, 2024 | thebreakthrough.org | Nikki Chiappa |Ted Nordhaus |Alex Trembath |Elizabeth McCarthy

Between 2013 and 2022, circuit courts heard approximately 39 NEPA appeals cases per year, a 56% increase over the rate from 2001 to 2015. Agencies won about 80% of the 2013-2022 appeals cases, 11% more per year than from 2001 to 2004, 8% more than from 2001 to 2008, and 4% less than from 2009 to 2015. The rate at which agencies’ reviews are upheld is high, meaning these environmental reviews are seldom changed as a result of litigation.
How The Federal Government Can Help Foster a Seafloor Metals Economy

May 16, 2024 | thebreakthrough.org | Nikki Chiappa |Seaver T. Wang

May 16, 2024 Share Share via Twitter Share via Facebook Share via Email Despite seemingly ever-growing discussion in Washington D.C., overconcentration of global critical mineral supply chains still leaves many American advanced technology sectors exposed to commodity market volatility and trade disruptions. Whether the United States can meaningfully scale its domestic minerals sector fast enough remains unclear.
Congress Must Act To Protect Endangered Species From Catastrophic…

Feb 12, 2024 | thebreakthrough.org | Ted Nordhaus |Nikki Chiappa

With wildfire risk increasing across the American West, Congress has a critical opportunity to fix a disastrous court decision that has significantly hindered efforts to reduce fire risk and protect endangered species on public lands. In 2015, the Cottonwood Environmental Law Center (CELC) sued the Forest Service, alleging the Service’s forest management protocols weren’t doing enough to protect endangered species.
A Bipartisan Hail Mary in a Divided Election Year

Jan 31, 2024 | thebreakthrough.org | Emily Bass |Nikki Chiappa

If the polls can tell us anything, it’s that the 2024 election cycle will be vicious. Incumbents, especially those in swing states and districts, will need to show they’ve delivered clear wins to their constituents if they hope to keep their seats. Following a year of several near-shutdowns, mounting hyper-partisanship, and about the ability of Democrats and Republicans to work together, governing effectively will be a challenge for members of Congress on both sides of the aisle.
Only Permitting Reform Can Prevent Forest Fires

Sep 28, 2023 | thebreakthrough.org | Patrick Brown |Nikki Chiappa |Alex Trembath

Permitting reform has gained significant attention in Washington in recent months, with reform advocates on both sides highlighting the delays in infrastructure construction caused by red-tape. Such setbacks may be the most immediate effect of burdensome permitting processes, but they aren’t the only one. In fact, they have broader implications for the state of the environment, too, including affecting the Forest Service's ability to sufficiently manage and prevent wildfires.
How the United States Can Get Critical Minerals Right

Aug 8, 2023 | thebreakthrough.org | Peter Cook |Seaver T. Wang |Nikki Chiappa

The clean energy transition will drive dramatic growth in consumption of the critical minerals used in a wide range of clean energy technologies. For example, a recent Breakthrough Institute paper calculated that deployment of wind and solar infrastructure could increase global demand for aluminum and copper by 14–17 percent by approximately 2030 and approximately triple consumption of some rare earth elements relative to current levels.