Studying Nepa's Impact on Projects Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. YAKYM. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for the time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of my bipartisan bill, H.R. 573, the Studying NEPA's Impact on Projects Act, which I introduced with my good friend, Mr. Panetta from California.

The National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, was passed in 1970 to look at the impacts of projects on the environment.

After decades of abuse and misuse, NEPA has strayed far from its original purpose. Now, it is a four-letter word, often weaponized to bury infrastructure, housing, energy, and other critical projects under a mound of paperwork and litigation.

NEPA is more synonymous with red tape than a green light. One recent study found that energy projects spend a median of 3 years from final agency approval to a final court decision, with some projects facing delays that last for decades.

At various points in time, the White House Council on Environmental Quality, or CEQ, has compiled reports on lawsuits, paperwork, and delays associated with NEPA, but these efforts have mostly been ad hoc.

This bill would formalize and consolidate these reports by requiring the CEQ to publish a single annual report detailing the burdens created by NEPA, including the volume of lawsuits, the length and complexity of environmental review and paperwork, and the cost of delays to taxpayers and project sponsors.

This report, coupled with the efforts of the Trump administration and this Congress to rein in permitting burdens, will allow us to conduct oversight, ensure accountability, and identify areas of further reform.

The consequences of NEPA are felt across this country, from manufacturing and construction in my district to critical forest management, mining, and housing projects. These delays impact our economy, but they also constrain our efforts to achieve energy dominance, protect our national security, and compete with China.

This bill is an important step in our work to continue reforming the permitting process. It is time to get the government and unnecessary barriers out of the way of hardworking Americans who want to make America build again.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Westerman for his help in getting this bill to the floor and to my friend, Mr. Panetta, for his partnership. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

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