The Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA), introduced in the Senate on September 30, 2026, represents one of the most comprehensive and consequential efforts in recent years to reform federal energy policy and infrastructure permitting laws. To help clients and colleagues better understand the proposed reforms and their potential implications for infrastructure planning, environmental review, and permitting, ESA has prepared a comprehensive section-by-section analysis of the legislation.
Building on the congressional committee staff’s section-by-section summary, ESA’s team of senior subject matter experts examined the legislation in detail to explain what each provision would do, how it would change existing law and practice, and what those changes could mean for infrastructure development and permitting across a range of sectors.
Importantly, this analysis is a working document. As Congress considers the legislation, we intend to update it to reflect substantive amendments and other significant developments as the bill moves through the legislative process.
We hope this resource provides a useful reference for understanding the scope of the proposed reforms and their potential implications for projects, agencies, and communities.
