Across the political aisle everybody agrees energy and infrastructure projects take too long to develop. You can see it in proposed highway projects nearby to emerging data centers that will power our artificial intelligence searches. We see it in the energy industry when it takes a decade to approve a simple oil and natural gas well.

The problem is the complex federal permitting process. Too often the procedural environmental reviews needed to obtain a permit get dragged out for several years, according to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Further delays are created as more than a quarter of all energy and infrastructure projects end up in court even before breaking ground, according to Stanford University.

It doesn’t have to be this way. By passing reforms to federal permitting laws, Congress can remove barriers and improve the delivery of energy across the country. The good news is momentum is building and lawmakers in both parties are looking for ways to ease the problem. We believe targeted changes to the permitting process can garner bipartisan support and will streamline energy production, changes that include:

• Defining clear roles for federal agencies
• Placing reasonable limits on environmental analysis
• Ensuring cost certainties and reliable timetables
• Prohibiting project approvals from being slowed for political purposes
• Preventing obstructionist protests intended to indefinitely halt projects
• Setting clear guidelines for judicial reviews and corrective actions.

Congress must seize this moment to cut through red tape while ensuring environmental safeguards. Expanding domestic energy production, streamlining permitting, and maintaining robust oil and gas leasing programs are essential for securing America’s energy independence and prosperity.