You know your stuff!
"Get the permitting process underway, takes two years."
Ok, we can save two years, although it would take a lot of fighting with nitpicking rats. Grrrr.... I doubt the GOP would worry too much about a 'little' delay like that.
"Negotiate several union contracts."
Any way to bypass that altogether?
"...and that also assumes the lawsuit-happy locals don't get their foot in the door again."
Congress can provide protection for that, but dadgummit, something tells me the rats can get RINOs to help there.
Besides which, unions are major supporters of the project.