Join us on social below!

ClearPath Action Rundown 
January 23rd, 2026

Happy Friday!

The Congressional Western Caucus picked Utah Republican Rep. Celeste Maloy to be its chair, following the unexpected death of its previous leader, California GOP Rep. Doug LaMalfa.

1. NEW blog: A Clear Path for American Energy Dominance

America’s energy system is changing fast. Rising demand from data centers, manufacturing, LNG exports and electrification is driving unprecedented power needs as global competition intensifies. ClearPath published a blog outlining a 2026 playbook to let America innovate here, build here and sell energy everywhere. 

ClearPath’s 2026 policy priorities include:

• Speed up permitting so energy and infrastructure projects can get built;
• Strengthen the grid so American energy can move to where demand is growing;
• Scale advanced energy and industrial technologies;
• Expand American energy and manufacturing supply chains; and
• Compete globally with stronger U.S. energy export and financing tools.

What’s clear: With faster permitting, a stronger grid and policies built for scale, the U.S. has a major opportunity to strengthen energy leadership as global competition and rising demand accelerate. 

Plug in: Read ClearPath’s latest blog by Head of Policy Lisa Epifani.

2. Modernizing America's largest grid operator

Electricity demand is rising across the U.S., driven by data centers, electrification and manufacturing growth. Governors from all 13 of the PJM Interconnection states, joined by Interior Secretary Burgum and Energy Secretary Wright, released a Statement of Principles outlining proposed market reforms as PJM and federal regulators address large load growth and reliability risks.

The Principles:

• Call for price limits to protect customers and safeguards to ensure data centers pay for the new power they need.
• Encourage PJM to update its forecasting methodologies and interconnection rules so more power can be built faster.
• Suggest PJM provide long-term price certainty to new power generation. 

PJM also released an outline of its plan to address significant load additions. This plan shared many of the same priorities, including improved load forecasting, establishing a separate auction for procuring new capacity, interconnection reforms to accelerate generation and a comprehensive review of the investment landscape in PJM.

What's clear: Surging power demand is pushing grid planning and market reform to the forefront. Keeping electricity reliable and affordable will depend on faster build timelines, stronger grid planning and policies that enable new firm generation to get built fast.

Plug in: Watch ClearPath’s whiteboard video, Let American Energy Move: Modernizing America’s Grid for Growing Demand, on why transmission is a bottleneck as power demand rises and what it will take to modernize the grid.

3. Zoom in on accelerating geothermal across the U.S.

America's geothermal potential is growing rapidly. The DOE’s National Lab of the Rockies (NLR) released the 2025 Geothermal Market report, highlighting key milestones and an updated map showing expanded potential for enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) across the lower 48 states – proving that next-generation geothermal can deliver firm, clean power across the U.S. 

Key details:

• NLR’s updated EGS map identifies more areas where enhanced geothermal could be viable, reflecting improved modeling of subsurface heat, drilling depth and development barriers.

Plus…geothermal companies raise a combined $200+ M:

• Zanskar Energy raised $115 million to scale its AI-driven discovery platform and begin developing geothermal plants across a multi-gigawatt pipeline; and
• Ormat Technologies co-led a $97 million investment in Sage Geosystems to advance next-generation geothermal and energy storage technologies.

What's clear: Enhanced geothermal is emerging as a scalable, firm power resource that can support rising U.S. electricity demand, strengthen energy security and unlock new regions for clean energy development.

Plug in: Read ClearPath’s report, A Clear Path for Geothermal Permitting: Cutting Delays, Driving Deployment, on how federal reforms can unlock next-generation geothermal at scale.

4. Carbon removal reaches a new scale milestone

Engineered carbon removal is moving from promise to practice. Gevo announced that its North Dakota facility issued over 500,000 high-quality carbon removal credits, marking one of the largest operating engineered carbon removal projects in the world.

Key developments:

• It is the first U.S. project operating underground carbon dioxide storage under state primacy and the only ethanol-based CCS facility issuing Puro.earth-certified credits;
• The facility has delivered over 500,000 verified carbon removal credits, certified for long-term storage; and
• An independent ratings agency has upgraded the project’s performance, citing scale, integrity and consistent delivery.

What’s clear: Projects like Gevo’s show that engineered carbon removal can operate at scale, creating new tools to strengthen U.S. energy security, support domestic industry and reduce emissions.

5. Utah launches Mission Critical to scale domestic minerals

The effort to secure U.S. critical mineral supply chains is accelerating. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and state leaders launched Mission Critical, a mine-to-market framework aimed at reducing reliance on China and positioning Utah as a national hub for critical minerals.

What’s happening: 

• The plan seeks to position Utah to meet 25% of the U.S.' near-term critical mineral demand, cut permitting timelines by 50% and process at least half of mined minerals in-state;
• Utah aims to approve five new projects within 18 months and establish a research center intended to become a U.S. Critical Minerals National Laboratory by 2031; and
• Lawmakers plan to update permitting, and create “critical mineral processing zones” and targeted funding tools to accelerate responsible development.

What’s clear: Utah is home to 50 of the 60 listed critical minerals. Accelerating Utah critical minerals development will strengthen domestic supply chains, energy and national security, and U.S. leadership.

6. ICYMI

• The House passed H.J. Res. 140, a Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval led by Rep. Pete Stauber (R-MN) to repeal Public Land Order 7917, which prohibits mining in Northern Minnesota's Superior National Forest. This will unlock a significant copper-nickel deposit and strengthen domestic critical mineral supply chains.
• ClearPath joined the Forging the Future coalition alongside the Aluminum Association, the American Council for Capital Formation, Electra and Securing America's Future Energy to call for federal action strengthening U.S. aluminum, iron, steel and critical minerals industries through smart energy, trade and innovation policy.
• The DOE Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation announced a $155 million investment in 16 projects to expand National Laboratory capabilities supporting U.S. manufacturing, industrial efficiency and next-generation technologies.
• Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry released a Whole-of-Louisiana Energy Strategy to coordinate agencies and industry around energy investment and innovation, highlighting Louisiana’s position as an early mover in nuclear, geothermal, lithium and other subsurface technologies.
• Material innovator Brimstone published a blog on how its “Rock Refinery” uses co-production to turn one abundant rock into many industrial products, creating a new model for cement, steel and aluminum manufacturing.
• Steel innovator Stegra announced a six-digit steel delivery agreement with thyssenkrupp Materials Processing Europe, a leading downstream processor converting steel and aluminum into finished products.
• During a conversation with U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, Occidental President and CEO Vicki Hollub highlighted direct air capture as a vital tool to maximize recovery and revenue from existing American oil reservoirs.

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!

• Did someone forward this to you? Sign up here.
• Miss a week? Catch up on our Rundown archive.
• Follow us on Twitter: @ClearPathAction / @jharrell

View this Rundown online