The Need for SPEED: RSC Leaders Applaud Passage of Historic Permitting Reform Legislation

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This week, the House made huge strides in removing burdensome red tape with the House passage of the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act. Led by House Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman, the legislation would modernize NEPA to make the permitting process faster and restore the law's original purpose as a procedural statute.

HEAT Chair House Troy Balderson (OH-12), Vice-Chair Randy Weber (TX-14), and RSC Chairman August Pfluger released the following joint statement applauding House passage of the SPEED Act:

“For decades, outdated NEPA processes have made permitting for energy projects unnecessarily costly and time-consuming while allowing opponents to weaponize the statute to obstruct critical developments. As we work to deliver affordable, reliable energy and modernize our infrastructure, getting NEPA reform right is essential.

The RSC HEAT Team was proud to support the SPEED Act, which is a commonsense solution to America's broken permitting system. This bill will restore Congress's original intent for NEPA as a modest procedural requirement by narrowing its scope and reducing frivolous, costly litigation. It also provides much-needed certainty to project sponsors and authorization holders, encouraging investment in new and expanded projects. We thank Chairman Westerman for his leadership in bringing the SPEED Act to the House floor."