We strongly urge West Virginia’s federal delegation, led by U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito, to continue their efforts to push through permitting reform that is greatly needed to shore up the nation’s power grid.

Despite claims by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer that a new Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rule will eliminate the need for permitting reform, both Manchin and Capito see the continued need for true reform.

The FERC rule passed on a 2-1 vote, with Commissioner Mark Christie saying it favored renewable energy.

Manchin, who is chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, told Politico’s E and E News that the FERC rule doesn’t solve all the issues with permitting reform.

“People think (the FERC rule) fixes everything — it really doesn’t,” said Manchin, D-W.Va. “It might start us in the direction, but the bottom line is everybody that we spoke to and everybody we’ve been working with understands you’ve got to have permitting reform.”

Capito was even more critical during her press conference on Thursday.

“They want it for the renewables, and they don’t want it for anybody else,” said Capito, R-W.Va. “The way they have it structured, to my understanding, is that we could permit a power line in West Virginia … but we wouldn’t necessarily be the benefactor of the energy that is being transmitted or produced. But we would have to pay for the construction of the power line.

“I thoroughly reject that concept. I don’t want West Virginians paying so that people in New York City can feel better because they’re being powered by a windmill.”

Capito also said the new rule doesn’t address the legal challenges that can be used to delay needed power grid improvements.

“We need judicial reform so we’re not in this cycle of going to court every six weeks,” Capito said. “There has to be a time limit on it.”

As they’ve done throughout their service in Washington, Manchin and Capito are showing their understanding of energy issues, as well as their commitment to helping the people of West Virginia and the nation.

The FERC rule doesn’t advance the nation’s energy policy far enough in the direction of the all-of-the-above approach the nation must have to meet its energy needs.

Elected lawmakers should be the ones responsible for creating the procedures and policies to ensure the best use of this nation’s resources to power it to a brighter future.