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ClearPath Action Rundown 
May 30th, 2025

Happy Friday!

Congratulations to Emily Domenech! President Trump has appointed Emily to serve as Executive Director of the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council).

1. Nuclear EOs will help fuel American energy dominance

ClearPath Action released a brief summary of the Trump Administration’s four Executive Orders (EOs) directing federal agencies to take action to deploy new nuclear energy by:

• Ordering the Reform of the NRC
• Deploying Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security
• Reinvigorating the Nuclear Industrial Base
• Reforming Nuclear Reactor Testing at DOE

What’s clear: “These EOs take a whole-of-government approach to move quickly in support of new deployments. To accelerate a nuclear energy resurgence, Congress must still support the industry’s ability to deploy projects effectively,” said ClearPath Action CEO Jeremy Harrell.  “We look forward to working with House and Senate Republicans to preserve key energy tax incentives and financial tools for nuclear energy.”

Plug in: ClearPath Action released a summary of the EOs and has highlighted the need for Congress to maintain key tax incentives as well as the financial tools at the Department of Energy (DOE) Loan Programs Office to achieve the Administration’s energy dominance agenda.  

2. Supreme Court sets tighter limits on NEPA reviews

In a unanimous 8-0 ruling in Seven County Infrastructure Partners v. Eagle County, the Supreme Court placed new limits on environmental reviews. Specifically, the Court:

• Reiterated that the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is purely a procedural statute;
• Limited federal agencies’ ability to consider “upstream and downstream effects” not directly related to the project; and
• Required rulings in future cases to provide “substantial deference” to agency decision making regarding which factors to consider and the level of detail required. 

Combined with permitting reforms championed by House Republicans in the Fiscal Responsibility Act and last year’s Supreme Court decision in Loper Bright, this week’s decision shows continued progress in the right direction toward durable permitting reform. 

What’s clear: “Incremental permitting wins continue to stack up, but those alone are not sufficient to let America build the amount of new energy projects necessary to meet rising demand.” said ClearPath Action CEO Jeremy Harrell. “Bold Congressional action to codify a more predictable permitting system remains the elusive piece of the puzzle.” 

Plug in: Read ClearPath’s recent blog exploring ways to further improve the permitting process.

3. Microsoft buys 30 NFL stadiums’ worth of low-carbon cement

Low-carbon cement innovator Sublime Systems announced an agreement with Microsoft to purchase over 600,000 tons of Sublime’s product over a six to nine-year period. Microsoft will use this cement to reduce construction emissions, including in the buildout of AI data centers. 

Notable features of this first-of-a-kind transaction:

• Microsoft will purchase from Sublime’s demo facility in Holyoke, MA, and a future full-scale facility; 
• Microsoft will use financial instruments called environmental attribute credits to invest in low-emissions cement even when the product is not physically available;  and 
• The transaction helps de-risk the high capital investment required to build Sublime’s first two facilities. 

What’s clear: Clean manufacturing in America needs creative solutions to overcome financing barriers and deploy rapidly at scale. 

Plug in: This blog post on the DOE’s Industrial Demonstrations Program highlighted Sublime’s breakthrough technology and Holyoke demonstration facility.

4. Welcome to the team, Allison!

ClearPath added Allison Guindon to the team this week as Senior Operations Associate. Allison will focus on ensuring ClearPath’s internal operations support the organization’s mission of accelerating American innovation to reduce global energy emissions.  

Previously, she worked in organizations spanning non-profit, education and federal government. 

Welcome, Allison!

5. The Circuit

6. ICYMI

• Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued a notice that it would end the 2023 interim guidance that directs agencies to consider environmental justice and climate impacts in NEPA reviews. 
• The U.S. Geological Survey finds geothermal energy in Nevada's Great Basin could play larger role in power production.
• The Department of Interior (DOI) approved an expansion of the existing Velvet-Wood uranium and vanadium mine in Utah on an accelerated 11-day timeline.
• FERC gives the green light for construction of Venture Global CP2 LNG plant in Louisiana after additional review.
• In the news: 
  • Jeremy Harrell in the Financial Times on next steps for clean energy tax credits. 
  • Jeremy Harrell in Politico’s “Energy Wire” on Trump’s energy council.

ClearPath believes America must lead the world in innovation over regulation…markets over mandates…providing affordable, reliable, clean energy. 

That's all from us. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

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