House backs bill to speed permitting reviews for new energy and infrastructure projects

The House of Representatives approved legislation Thursday designed to expedite permitting reviews for energy and infrastructure projects, addressing a process that currently can take five or more years to complete. The SPEED Act passed by a vote of 221-196 and now advances to the Senate for consideration.

The bill represents the most significant proposed change in decades to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a cornerstone environmental law that requires federal agencies to evaluate potential environmental impacts before approving projects. If enacted, the legislation would establish statutory limits on environmental reviews, expand the range of actions exempt from review, and implement clear deadlines for the approval process.

“The SPEED Act is a focused, bipartisan effort to restore common sense and accountability to federal permitting,” said Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Arkansas, the bill’s chief sponsor and chair of the House Natural Resources Committee.

Westerman argued that while NEPA was enacted “with the best of intentions” 55 years ago, it has evolved into an unwieldy system that hinders development. “Unfortunately, what was meant to facilitate responsible development has been twisted into a bureaucratic bottleneck that delays investments in the infrastructure and technologies that make our country run,” he said during floor debate.

Recent studies indicate that environmental reviews often span nearly 600 pages and take almost five years to complete, creating significant delays for major energy and infrastructure projects at a time when electricity demand continues to grow nationwide.

The legislation would also limit who can bring legal challenges against projects and restrict the legal remedies courts can impose, a provision that has drawn criticism from environmental advocates and many Democrats.

Rep. Jared Huffman, D-California, the top Democrat on the Natural Resources panel, acknowledged that the permitting process has become cumbersome but argued the House bill fails to address the root causes of delays while undermining public input.

“The SPEED Act treats environmental reviews as a nuisance rather than a tool to prevent costly, harmful mistakes,” Huffman said. “Weakening environmental review won’t fix permitting challenges and won’t help us build the clean energy future that we need. Gutting NEPA only invites more risk, more mistakes, more litigation, more damage to communities that already face too many environmental burdens.”

The bill passed largely along party lines, with eleven Democrats voting in favor and one Republican, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, opposing it.

A last-minute amendment to the legislation has raised concerns among clean energy advocates, particularly those in the offshore wind sector. The change, demanded by Republican Representatives Andy Harris of Maryland and Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey, would allow the incoming Trump administration to continue blocking certain offshore wind projects.

The American Clean Power Association, which represents wind developers, withdrew its support for the bill following this amendment. “It fundamentally changed legislation that represented genuine bipartisan progress on permitting reform,” said Jason Grumet, the group’s CEO. “It’s disappointing that a partisan amendment has now jeopardized that progress, turning what should have been a win for American energy into another missed opportunity.”

Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, the bill’s co-sponsor, emphasized that lawmakers from both parties have long recognized the need for permitting reform. “America’s broken permitting system is delaying investments in the basics we need — energy, transportation and housing,” Golden said.

Business organizations, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, praised the House action. “Permitting reform is not just a business issue — it is a national priority,” said Rodney Davis, senior vice president for government affairs. “Delays in project approvals hinder economic development, increase costs for consumers and undermine America’s ability to build and maintain critical infrastructure.”

Environmental groups, however, warned that the legislation undermines a fundamental environmental law while potentially fast-tracking polluting projects without adequate review. “We urgently need to build the infrastructure necessary to address the climate crisis and to transition to a clean energy economy, but this bill is not the solution,” said Stephen Schima, a senior lawyer for Earthjustice Action.

With House approval secured, attention now shifts to the Senate, where lawmakers are considering a broader package that would also include changes to the Clean Water Act to facilitate pipeline and transmission line projects. Meanwhile, Democratic Senators Martin Heinrich of New Mexico and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island are pursuing separate legislation aimed at making it more difficult for the incoming Trump administration to cancel permits for clean energy projects.