A bipartisan group of House lawmakers will introduce legislation Wednesday to prevent an administration from scrapping lawfully issued permits — a central issue in permitting reform negotiations.
Led by Reps. Scott Peters (D-Calif.) and Gabe Evans (R-Colo.), the “Create Expedited Reviews to Transform American Infrastructure Now (CERTAIN) Act,” aims to shield the permitting process from political meddling. The pair circulated a discussion draft earlier this year.
“The CERTAIN Act ends the partisan whiplash that has stalled infrastructure projects for years,” Peters said in a statement. “Once a project has undergone a fair and thorough review and obtained its permits, it should be able to move forward. That’s not a Democratic or Republican idea. It’s common sense.”
The bill seeks to make sure agencies conduct reviews within clear timelines. It also seeks to eliminate duplication and encourage coordination between regulators.
