House Passes Key NEPA Reforms, Includes ARTBA Task Force Recommendations

What happened: The U.S. House Dec. 19 passed legislation aimed at improving the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process with bipartisan support. If enacted, the SPEED Act would clarify which federal actions are subject to NEPA and what information agencies should include in their environmental reviews. 
 
The bill also includes reforms recommended in ARTBA’s reauthorization report, such as adding procedural guardrails to judicial review. The changes eliminate redundancy in the permitting process and give transportation project sponsors transparency and additional control over review timelines.   

Why it matters: “Inefficiencies in the federal permitting process, particularly on transportation projects, can create uncertainty that leads to potential project delays and threats of litigation, all of which translate into increased costs and diluted public resources,” explained ARTBA Vice Chair At-Large Tony Boals (Wright Brothers Construction) during testimony before the House Natural Resources Committee last July. 
 
ARTBA supported the bill’s passage in a July 30 letter to members of Congress.
 
What’s next: Both bills now head to the Senate. It is unclear if that chamber will take them up, or advance their own permitting reform legislation.