Washington, DC – Today, the U.S. House passed H.R. 4776, the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act. The SPEED Act seeks to modernize the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to help streamline the permitting process and return the law to its intended purpose. This bill was introduced by Roosevelt Conservation Caucus member and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR) as well as Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME).
“The House’s passage of the SPEED Act is a much-needed step in the right direction of permitting reform,” said ConservAmerica President Jeff Kupfer. “For decades, NEPA has been weaponized to slow down or stop the projects that strengthen our economy, improve infrastructure, and help manage the land and energy resources Americans rely on every day. The bipartisan legislation passed today will bring greater clarity and accountability to the review process, cut unnecessary delays, and help projects move forward while reaffirming the intent of environmental reviews. We thank RCC member Chairman Westerman for his leadership on this issue and look forward to Senate action on this bill, as well as others, and continuing the momentum to modernize our federal permitting system.”
Earlier this week, ConservAmerica joined the U.S. Chamber and other like-minded organizations in writing to members of the U.S. House of Representatives in support of H.R. 4776. Previously, ConservAmerica had written directly to Chairman Westerman and Ranking Member Huffman in support of this legislation.
Related materials:
Blog: U.S. House Moves on Permitting Reform
ConservAmerica Applauds Supreme Court Decision on NEPA Reviews
