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The long harsh winter months in Wyoming give us
a very small window to fix our highways and roads. To make matters worse, the federal government’s outdated regulatory review process, known as
the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), has made it nearly impossible to get anything done.
Since NEPA was enacted more than 50 years ago, the time to complete the average Environmental Impact Statement
(EIS) has nearly tripled from 2.5 years to 6.5 years. It is completely unacceptable that the people of Wyoming are forced to wait the better part of a
decade for the federal government’s permission to start vital road projects. I partnered with U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) to lead a bipartisan effort to end this madness. This week, we reintroduced
the Interactive Federal Review Act which would direct the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to select a minimum of ten federal
highway projects to demonstrate the use of interactive, digital, cloud-based platforms in carrying out the environmental analysis and community
engagement processes required in FHWA projects. The bill would drastically cut
down the time needed to repair Wyoming highways by allowing modern technology to make government more efficient and cost-effective. A streamlined
environmental review process means Wyoming will see more shovels in dirt and less signs on the side of the road talking about projects being completed
in the distant future. More frequently and efficiently maintained roads means safer roads
with less accidents and more people in Wyoming making it home safely. Asking the federal government to embrace modern technology should be a no
brainer. It’s time for our permitting process to enter the
21st century. Happy
Trails,  |
Senator Lummis' Week in Pictures | |
I had the privilege of meeting
with Sweetwater County native and Rock Springs High School alum Dr. Monica Bertagnolli, who has been nominated to be the Director of the National
Institute of Health. We had a great discussion about the need to expand access to quality health care in rural communities throughout
Wyoming.
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GRANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR WYOMING |
In an effort to bring more
federal funds from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) back to our state, the Wyoming legislature has appropriated
$75 million to the governor’s office in a State Infrastructure Matching Fund. These dollars are available, at the discretion of the governor, to
be used by the State of Wyoming for the purpose of qualifying for IIJA grants. The
governor’s office will accept applications until the funds are allocated or until the end of the state fiscal cycle, June 30, 2024, whichever
event occurs first. A matching funds application must be submitted for each grant applied for. |
| WYOMING SHOUT
OUT | ||
Lander track star Gage Gose capped off what has been an incredible year with a victory —winning the National
Championship in his division for hurdles! This week, he won the U-20 400-Meter Hurdles National Championship in Eugene, Oregon. Despite
just finishing his senior year of high school, Gose defeated five Division I college hurdlers on his way to the title.
Earlier this year, Gose set the Wyoming state record for the 300-meter hurdles in addition to winning the state
title for the 110-meter hurdles. He has not yet announced where he plans to run in college, but I am sure that he will continue to do great
things and make Wyoming proud.
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OFFICE LOCATIONS |
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