But new facilities are not going up quickly enough. Most states have already streamlined the permitting process. What was once a 30-month process in Montana now takes about a year, says Larry Nordell of the Dept. of Environmental Quality. In Oregon, where regulators are concerned over increased emissions, contractors face a process that could extend 18 months to two years, says John White, energy facility analyst with the Office of Energy. Idaho has no central permitting.
Developers say they can tolerate temporary tinkering with price caps.
Although concerned about California's actions, no one so far seems ready to walk away from what is still considered a promising investment.