Senate votes on bill to speed up projects from gas pipelines to clean energy

Environmentalists torn over procedural vote to boost infrastructure projects but weaken environmental laws It’s a bill that would make it easier to build big infrastructure projects in America – everything from fossil fuel pipelines to transmission lines that would add more clean energy to the grid. And it would roll back environmental and social protections to achieve this goal. That is why climate advocates are torn over the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs act (Baaja), which is scheduled for an initial procedural Senate vote on Monday. Donald Trump urged all senators to vote for the 417-page bill, which is sponsored by two Republicans and two Democrats in the Senate, but after last week’s historic “blue wave” elections, some environmental and tribal advocates called on Democratic leadership to pump the brakes. Continue reading...