House Passes Historic Bipartisan Permitting Reform Legislation

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 4776, the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act, introduced by Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and U.S. Representative Jared Golden (D-Maine). Chairman Westerman issued the following statement:

"The passage of the SPEED Act is a win for America. For too long, America's broken permitting process has stifled economic growth and innovation. To build the infrastructure needed to deliver affordable energy to American families and defend against 21st-century threats, we must fix this process. The SPEED Act will encourage investment, bring certainty to permitting, end abusive litigation, and allow America to build again. I thank my colleague, Representative Golden, for working with me on this bipartisan victory. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to act quickly and send the SPEED Act to President Trump's desk. We cannot wait any longer."

Background

The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) is a procedural law that sets guidelines for evaluating the environmental impact of all major federal actions and established the Council on Environmental Quality. The procedural requirements in NEPA apply to all major federal actions, including the construction of critical infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges, highways, ports, irrigation systems, forest management, transmission lines, energy projects, broadband, and water infrastructure.

Although well-intentioned, NEPA reviews have become cumbersome and time-consuming, driving up costs and delaying permit approvals. Special interest groups often exploit the statute to block critical investments nationwide, making it America's most litigated environmental law.

The SPEED Act will modernize NEPA to make the permitting process faster and restore the law's original purpose as a procedural statute. The bill aims to reduce permitting timelines and prevent unnecessary litigation. It will also streamline the analysis required in NEPA documents, easing the burden placed on agencies and builders alike. Additionally, the bill clarifies when NEPA is triggered by defining "Major Federal Action." Finally, it modifies the judicial review process under NEPA by establishing a 150-day limit for NEPA claims and stopping procedural delays from blocking and stalling projects.

The SPEED Act has support from over 375 organizations representing all 50 states. The full list can be found here.

To learn more about the SPEED Act, click here.