House Passes Long-Awaited Permitting Reforms

What happened: The U.S. House passed the PERMIT Act Dec. 11 with bipartisan support. The package of permitting reform bills advances common-sense updates to the Clean Water Act (CWA) by improving clarity, coordination, and predictability. It includes provisions to clarify which features are not considered Waters of the United States (WOTUS) and to protect projects from prolonged and duplicative litigation.

Why it matters: “These reforms collectively offer targeted, practical upgrades to a system that, too often, delays essential transportation projects for little to no environmental value,” said ARTBA President & CEO Dave Bauer. Read ARTBA’s letter in support of the package here.

What’s next: Attention now turns to the Senate, where further action will determine if these reforms advance.