The first White House debt-ceiling meeting between President Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy ended Tuesday no closer to a deal. But the follow-up gatherings this week among aides are offering new hints about what could be on the table…

Cutting the red tape tied to permits for new energy development projects is another intriguing possibility. The White House “sees an opportunity” of making a real deal on that complex issue, according to one person familiar with the talks…

Nothing is certain of course and “it’s going to be one of those things where we won’t know until a deal is struck,” notes energy expert Philip Rossetti…

“The permitting reforms would make a lot of sense for both sides to compromise on to make a deal, since they both seem to want it,” adds Rossetti, who is a senior energy fellow at Washington’s R Street Institute…