Support for Clean Air Act Permitting Reform Bills on the House Floor this Week

To the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives:

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce urges you to support the following Clean Air Act permitting reform bills scheduled for House consideration this week:

• H.R. 6387 - Fire Improvement and Reforming Exceptional Events Act (FIRE Act)
• H.R. 6398 - Reducing and Eliminating Duplicative Environmental Regulations Act (RED Tape Act)
• H.R. 6409 - Foreign Emissions and Nonattainment Clarification for Economic Stability (FENCES Act)

The United States has made tremendous progress in improving air quality thanks to decades of innovation and investment. Overly restrictive regulations, however, can create permitting gridlock, stopping or delaying projects that could deliver significant economic and environmental benefits. That is why modernizing permitting and clarifying regulatory requirements is so important to help unlock private investment, accelerate job creation, and improve affordability for families and businesses.

Taken together, these permitting reform bills advance practical solutions by reducing duplicative requirements and ensuring communities and businesses are not penalized for air quality impacts driven by emissions sources outside their control, including pollution transported from outside the United States and smoke from wildfires. Because such emissions sources are difficult to control and are a major driver of air emissions, the targeted reforms in these bills would help prevent unnecessary permitting gridlock that delays important projects and increases costs.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce urges you to support and pass these bills without delay.

Sincerely,

Neil Bradley
Executive Vice President, Chief Policy Officer and Head of Strategic Advocacy
U.S. Chamber of Commerce