The House passed bipartisan legislation to expedite environmental reviews for energy and infrastructure projects, teeing up future congressional action to overhaul permitting in 2026.
Thursday’s passage of the SPEED Act (H.R. 4776) in a 221-196 vote marks the first test during this Congress for meaningful legislation aimed at reducing and simplifying the lengthy federal permitting process. The bill, muscled through the House by Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and Jared Golden (D-Maine), is a big priority for industry, which has argued the current system is cumbersome, bureaucratic, and has hamstrung energy and infrastructure buildout.
Meanwhile, environmental groups and many ...
