The House Natural Resources Committee passed broad permitting legislation Thursday, which may become part of a broader package lawmakers hope to pass this Congress.
The committee voted 25-18 for an amended version of Chair Bruce Westerman’s (R-Ark.) “Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act,” H.R. 4776.
Only two Democrats, primary co-sponsor Jared Golden of Maine and Adam Gray of California, ended up voting “yes” despite Westerman efforts to get more on board.
The bill would tighten timelines for National Environmental Policy Act reviews and reduce the potential for litigation. Westerman, a forester by training, stressed he simply wanted to “restore NEPA to its original form” and that his proposal would accelerate reviews for projects of all kinds.
