Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressional Western Caucus Chairman Doug LaMalfa (CA-01) and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Westerman (AR-04) released the following statements after today's 221-196 vote in the House of Representatives to pass  H.R. 4776, the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act.

"Every year there are thousands of projects and more than a trillion dollars waiting to make their way through the federal permitting process. America has the equipment, tools, and workforce to dig new mines, and build new pipelines, but our permitting bureaucracy slows the process to a snail's pace. While they sit in a queue for a rubber stamp, some projects see costs grow by nearly a third without a single shovel moving an ounce of dirt," said Chairman LaMalfa. "Today, the House will finally shift that paradigm. The legislation before us will expedite and solidify the NEPA process for all projects who can pass equal standards of review. I want to thank Chairman Westerman for his steadfast leadership in bringing this to the floor, and look forward to working together until we bring this to the President's desk.”

“Passage of the SPEED Act is a massive win for America. For too long, America’s broken permitting process has stifled economic development and innovation. To build the infrastructure needed to meet skyrocketing energy demand and defend our nation against 21st-century threats, we must fix this process. The SPEED Act will encourage investment, bring certainty to the permitting process, end abusive litigation, and allow America to build again. This bill will help provide affordable, reliable energy across the country and strengthen America’s global competitiveness against China. 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.” said House Committee on Natural Resources Committee Chairman Bruce Westerman
 


Legislative Digest

H.R. 4776, the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act
 

• Clarifies that the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process is "purely procedural" and may not be altered to produce particular results.
• Limits the scope of environmental reviews to only those effects which have a "reasonably close causal relationship" the project or action under review.
• Prohibits agencies from re-opening environmental reviews which have already been completed before the date of enactment of this bill, unless ordered by a court.
• Prohibits other agencies from preparing an environmental document for a project or action if the lead agency has determined that no review is necessary.
• Promotes tribal sovereignty and use of their own trust resources by establishing a presumption that a tribe would be negatively affected if no action was taken on a project.
• Reiterates that the NEPA process is not triggered solely by funding, grants, or cost-share awards, and that agencies do not need to re-review permits or authorizations which were considered as part of a previous NEPA document.
• Allows agencies to rely on previously completed environmental documents for similar projects and actions.
• Implements elements of the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, Colorado decision, requiring courts to defer to agencies on environmental effects considered during project review.
• Removes the ability for courts to vacate or enjoin agency actions under NEPA, allowing them only to remand an action.
• Limits plaintiffs to a 150-day timeline to file a civil action against a final agency action, and only allows individuals who commented on an action to have standing.
• Requires NEPA-related cases to be resolved within 180 days, and appeals filed within 60 days of a decision.