WASHINGTON – Today, the House of Representatives passed the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act with Congressman David Valadao’s (CA-22) support. This bipartisan bill streamlines the approval process to advance essential water, transportation, energy, infrastructure, forest management, and flood-control projects by allowing federal agencies to use previously conducted Environmental Assessments or Environmental Impact Statements under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for the approval of projects with similar impacts.

A portion of Congressman Valadao’s Determination of NEPA Adequacy Streamlining Act (H.R. 6163) was included in the SPEED Act.

“The Central Valley has no shortage of essential projects ready to move forward, but unfortunately, it’s near impossible to put shovels in the ground due to our outdated, burdensome permitting process,” said Congressman Valadao. “By allowing federal agencies to rely on previously conducted, scientifically sound environmental reviews, we can cut down on excessive paperwork, reduce delays, and get projects moving sooner. The bipartisan SPEED Act brings much-needed certainty to our permitting process and jumpstarts domestic investment, and I’m proud to have portions of my bill, H.R. 6163, included.”

Background:

NEPA is a procedural statute that establishes parameters for assessing and disclosing the environmental impact of all major federal actions. Originally intended to ensure an appropriate balance between protecting the environment and economic development, the NEPA process has become increasingly complex, resulting in massive NEPA documents approaching thousands of pages, drawn-out project timelines, and excessive litigation.

The SPEED Act simplifies the analysis required in NEPA documents so that agencies aren’t stuck studying never-ending topics without ever reaching a conclusion. The bill clarifies when NEPA is triggered by focusing the definition of “Major Federal Action” and allows agencies to rely on previously completed NEPA documents for projects. Lastly, the bill establishes judicial review limitations for NEPA claims, including a 150-day deadline for filing claims, and eliminates vacatur and injunction as remedies available to courts. 

Read the full bill here.

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