Episode Summary
Scott Segal joins Taylor Stuart and Daniel Pope on the Bracewell Environmental Law Monitor to unpack the sweeping impact of the "One Big Beautiful Bill" on the US energy sector. From policy changes and the future of electric vehicles, to rising energy demand from AI and data centers, the conversation highlights why a diverse energy mix is essential to powering America's future.
Episode Highlights
[1:19] Shifting Energy Priorities Under OBBBA: Scott explains that OBBBA marked a major policy shift away from an "all of the above" energy strategy. While geothermal, nuclear, hydrogen and fossil fuels saw support, there was retrenchment from solar and wind. The impact, he notes, was greater than most anticipated.
[04:18] Tax Credits and Compliance Challenges: Significant tax credit changes compressed timelines for solar and wind projects while introducing stricter compliance rules. Federal land fees and new Department of Interior oversight also created likely approval bottlenecks. The industry is scrambling to adapt, says Scott
[16:40] Permitting Reform and New NEPA Options: Permitting reform faced setbacks, but a "sponsor opt-in fee" survived, allowing companies to pay for schedule certainty in NEPA reviews. While this may sound appealing, Scott warns it could weaken a project's defensibility in court. Developers must weigh speed against legal risk.
[30:54] Energy Dominance Financing: The Department of Energy's Loan Guarantee Program was repurposed into "Energy Dominance Financing," expanding to projects supporting fossil fuels, critical minerals and grid reliability. This marks a shift from the DOE's prior focus on clean energy.
[36:19] Rising Demand From AI and Data Centers: Scott, Taylor and Daniel point to a surge in US energy demand fueled by AI, data centers and reshoring manufacturing. Texas alone could see its gigawatt needs double within 15 years. Meeting this growth will require a diverse energy mix of renewables, conventional fuels and storage.
Featured Guests
Name: Scott Segal
About: Scott Segal is co-chair of the firm's Policy Resolution Group, the government relations and strategic communications section at Bracewell. He has more than two decades of experience across a broad range of policy and communications issues, with particular experience dealing with energy, the environment and natural resources. Other areas of experience range from healthcare to financial services to trade and manufacturing issues.
Company: Bracewell
Connect: LinkedIn
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