U.S. Reps. Sam Graves (R-MO) and Garrett Graves (R-LA) joined nearly 20 other Republican House members in introducing legislation intended to reform the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Wednesday.
The bill, Building U.S. Infrastructure through Limited Delays and Efficient Reviews (BUILDER) Act, would codify changes made to the environmental review process put in place through executive order by President Donald Trump. Congress members said the legislation would make infrastructure project reviews more efficient, reduce project costs, spur economic recovery and rebuild America.
“The president’s call for bipartisan action on infrastructure should start with reforming the overly lengthy and costly project review process,” Sam Graves, the ranking member in the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, said. “By approving needed infrastructure projects more efficiently, we can make our limited resources go much further while maintaining strong environmental protections.”
Others signing on to the legislation included Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA), Republican Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney (R-WY), and the Committee on Agriculture Ranking Member Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA), the Committee on Appropriations Ranking Member Kay Granger (R-TX), the Committee on Energy and Commerce Ranking Member Cathy McMorris-Rogers (R-WA), the Committee on Natural Resources Ranking Member Bruce Westerman (R-AR), the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Ranking Member James Comer (R-KY), the Committee on Rules Ranking Member Tom Cole (R-OK), the Committee on Small Business Ranking Member Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO) and the Committee on Science, Space and Technology Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK), as well as nine other Republican Congress members.
“The National Environment Policy Act was enacted in 1970 to ensure the productive coexistence between the environment and the American people, but after 50 years of bureaucratic desk-jockeying, it has become an unproductive obstacle that is failing the very people and resources it is supposed to be serving,” Garrett Graves said. “NEPA review is project purgatory, taking orders of magnitude longer to study projects than the time needed to complete them. Our bill fixes this broken approach – while protecting the environment – and updates NEPA so it can fulfill its purpose and deliver to taxpayers the infrastructure enhancements, coastal wetlands restoration, flood protection, and other improvements it currently impairs.”
The Congress members said the bill would ensure rigorous environmental scrutiny without delays or excessive costs, ensure practical project review timelines, clarify the duties of federal, state, tribal, and local governments in environmental reviews, emphasize coordination between stakeholders and federal agencies, and eliminate vague and outdated provisions in the law.
“President Biden claims his $2.3 trillion ‘infrastructure’ plan is fiscally sustainable, but as any Californian will tell you about the state’s High Speed Rail Boondoggle, the existing environmental review process has led to endless delays and outrageous cost overruns. The current system is better at building backlogs than building roads, bridges, and reservoirs. We need rational rules that are efficient, economical, and environmentally friendly, not cumbersome, costly, and corrupt,” McCarthy said. “The BUILDER Act would achieve this by codifying President Trump’s extensive reforms to National Environmental Policy Act regulations. Instead of vague and outdated regulations, these reforms set straightforward standards and enforceable deadlines without weakening environmental protections. For years, presidents of both parties have recognized the need for these reforms. President Trump made them happen, but President Biden is set to overturn this important progress. That is a big mistake. If we want to rebuild America, we need the reliable deadlines for infrastructure projects that The BUILDER Act provides.”