BANGOR, Maine (AP) - Two U.S. senators from opposing parties are working on a proposal to streamline the permitting process for energy technologies such as rooftop solar and battery storage.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico are calling their plan the American Energy Opportunity Act. They say the bill would give local and state governments the ability to expedite and standardize permitting for such technologies.

Collins says streamlining the permitting process at the local level would help make technologies such as solar more affordable for residents and business owners. The senators say the new tools available to state and local governments would be voluntary and would utilize an online permitting portal to help reduce the burdensome aspects of permitting work.

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