{"id":5748,"date":"2025-11-20T16:40:18","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T21:40:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/weact.org\/?post_type=update&#038;p=5748"},"modified":"2026-02-16T21:18:57","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T02:18:57","slug":"environmental-groups-push-back-against-deregulatory-speed-act","status":"publish","type":"update","link":"https:\/\/weact.org\/es\/updates\/environmental-groups-push-back-against-deregulatory-speed-act\/","title":{"rendered":"Environmental Groups Speak Out Against Deregulatory SPEED Act"},"template":"","class_list":["post-5748","update","type-update","status-publish","hentry","update_type-announcements","focus_tax-energy-justice","focus_tax-healthy-communities","person_tax-weezie-foster"],"acf":{"details":{"":null,"featured_image":"","update_type":[363],"focus_area":[7,9],"authors":[434],"abstract":""},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_hero_links","acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_hero_links":{"title":"","abstract":"","links":null}},{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","acfe_flexible_toggle":"","component_wysiwyg":{"content":"<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today, Congressional Republicans on the House Natural Resources Committee marked up the SPEED Act (H.R. 4776) \u2014 a bill that would further entrench a sweeping deregulatory environmental and anti-democracy agenda.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To schedule an interview with our experts, please see their press contacts below or reach out to Dana Johnson, <\/span><a href=\"mailto:dana@strategicmovementcollective.com\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">dana@strategicmovementcollective.com<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, Geoffrey Nolan, <\/span><a href=\"mailto:gnolan@earthjustice.org\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">gnolan@earthjustice.org<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, or Shannon Van Hoesen, <\/span><a href=\"mailto:shannon.vanhoesen@sierraclub.org\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">shannon.vanhoesen@sierraclub.org<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<b>Quick Links\u00a0<\/b>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/westernlaw.org\/house-committee-marks-up-speed-act-that-would-renounce-not-reform-environmental-protections-nationwide\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Western Environmental Law Center<\/span><\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2F__https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sierraclub.org%2Fpress-releases%2F2025%2F11%2Fhouse-natural-resources-committee-considers-speed-act-groups-stand-strong__%3B!!IIed8l2J2Mno!cJQYE2EJXiv7k4BtryyzP2JiFwUSEJ5200FsdaNJ67QgEmXMDE4m791LfnO18eb7n0i7vN0_uxSVpH8mKNHA6lC2onubRSg%24&amp;data=05%7C02%7Csschima%40earthjustice.org%7Ca44cdad6449740063e9608de283d7b48%7Cadedb458e8e34c4e9bedfa792af66cb6%7C0%7C0%7C638992441785111273%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=S%2FzsV0iKZ6uWjM5UnfD%2B8XFLzjZVqZ5eJR40Gj9wnhU%3D&amp;reserved=0\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sierra Club<\/span><\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/earthjusticeaction.org\/news\/earthjustice-action-statement-on-speed-act\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Earthjustice<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Action<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/climatejusticealliance.org\/the-speed-act-another-dirty-deal-for-the-people\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Climate Justice Alliance<\/span><\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.lcv.org\/media-center\/the-speed-act-is-permitting-more-giveaways-to-big-polluters\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LCV<\/span><\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.citizen.org\/news\/natural-resources-committee-set-to-limit-key-protections-for-health-environment-and-economy\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Public Citizen<\/span><\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/storymaps.arcgis.com\/stories\/24da03f61b7341aa9473e50098f37a83\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WE ACT for Environmental Justice\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<b>Press Statements<\/b>\r\n\r\n<strong><i>WE ACT for Environmental Justice<\/i><\/strong>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Press Contact: Ashley Sullivan, ashley.sullivan@weact.org<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today, the House Natural Resources Committee is reviewing <\/span><b>H.R. 4776,\u00a0 \"Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act\u201d or the \u201cSPEED Act\" <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">which, if passed, will mark a major setback for our climate, health, and environmental goals as well as the people's ability to to provide their input into federal decisions that impact their lives. This radical proposal guts the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), an essential tool for environmental justice communities and will result in expedited fossil fuel infrastructure project rollout.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<b><i>Please read the WE ACT\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/weact.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/EJ-Permitting-Reform-101-One-Pager-WE-ACT-2024-1.pdf\">one pager<\/a> on the SPEED Act featuring our <\/i><\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/storymaps.arcgis.com\/stories\/24da03f61b7341aa9473e50098f37a83\"><b><i>\u2018NEPA Does Not Delay\u2019 StoryMap<\/i><\/b><\/a><b><i> which features permitting solutions that are supported by environmental justice communities.<\/i><\/b>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cEnvironmental justice communities have lived in the shadow of polluting fossil fuel infrastructure for decades, and are ready for and are advancing real, just clean energy solutions. The SPEED Act would do the opposite, adding more dangerous fossil fuel projects to the backyards of communities who cannot continue to have their neighborhoods be used as sacrifice zones. Not only does this legislation gut core functions of National Environmental Policy Act, by cutting community input and science out of the review process, it plainly puts profit over public interest. Proponents of renewable energy should instead seek to advance permitting solutions that are supported by environmental justice communities and have already proven to improve the quality and pace of environmental reviews.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">- Louise Foster, Government Affairs Manager at WE ACT for Environmental Justice<\/span>\r\n\r\n###\r\n\r\n<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Western Environmental Law Center<\/span><\/i>\r\n\r\n<b>House committee marks up SPEED Act that would renounce,\u00a0<\/b><b>not reform, environmental protections nationwide<\/b>\r\n\r\n<b>Contacts:<\/b>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Erik Schlenker-Goodrich, Western Environmental Law Center, 575-751-0351, <\/span><a href=\"mailto:eriksg@westernlaw.org\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">eriksg@westernlaw.org<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and Marlyn Twitchell, Western Environmental Law Center, 541-485-2471, ext. 144, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">twitchell@westernlaw.org<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today, the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources is set to vote on the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2F__https%3A%2F%2Fwww.congress.gov%2Fbill%2F119th-congress%2Fhouse-bill%2F4776__%3B!!IIed8l2J2Mno!dYvNgLoIfUEHeOQxSZcHeHz26QeJFhUyO5f6UyLWtN7D3H5Nk1Ee_cEpW465EjoOuV3lwb_w9juzB-_N6wiAxQ%24&amp;data=05%7C02%7Csschima%40earthjustice.org%7C92edba05476440be2e9d08de2848353a%7Cadedb458e8e34c4e9bedfa792af66cb6%7C0%7C0%7C638992487867104034%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=tu1hO%2F3QRFhzdm%2FtTDNwG9htoT6sni0S8DOPw2FvkL0%3D&amp;reserved=0\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (H.R. 4776). The Western Environmental Law Center urges members of the committee to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">vote no<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on this deceptively titled bill that was crafted solely to hamstring the nation\u2019s bedrock environmental law, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The bill, accounting for last-minute proposed changes that make it far worse, adds sweeping new exemptions, restricts input from experts in other agencies, and puts private interests in the driver\u2019s seat of environmental reviews, disregarding the federal government\u2019s role to protect the public interest. Yesterday, 100+ groups signed a<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fearthjustice.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F11%2Fover-100-organizations-oppose-speed-act-final-letter-11-18.pdf&amp;data=05%7C02%7Csschima%40earthjustice.org%7C92edba05476440be2e9d08de2848353a%7Cadedb458e8e34c4e9bedfa792af66cb6%7C0%7C0%7C638992487867123524%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Cz8XsVzG3oKuG9birt55h2rPavZdHZ5F56aQ2AtifiE%3D&amp;reserved=0\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">letter<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> opposing the SPEED Act, alongside another<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2F__https%3A%2F%2Fwesternlaw.org%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F11%2FSPEED-Act-HNR-Letter-11.17.2025-.pdf__%3B!!IIed8l2J2Mno!dYvNgLoIfUEHeOQxSZcHeHz26QeJFhUyO5f6UyLWtN7D3H5Nk1Ee_cEpW465EjoOuV3lwb_w9juzB-_udHeQAQ%24&amp;data=05%7C02%7Csschima%40earthjustice.org%7C92edba05476440be2e9d08de2848353a%7Cadedb458e8e34c4e9bedfa792af66cb6%7C0%7C0%7C638992487867137702%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=eDJ3Bd41zkvFN9i1NH%2FFosqjiHMsl1ICVZLjbUtCKiE%3D&amp;reserved=0\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">letter<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> from western organizations condemning the bill\u2019s total capitulation to extractive industries.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The bill\u2019s attack on NEPA is built on the myth that this bedrock environmental law slows project approval. In fact, new evidence-based research available upon request (see contacts section) concludes:<\/span>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Permitting delays are not caused by NEPA but, instead, by insufficient agency capacity, compliance requirements imposed by other laws, and external factors, such as delays attributable to permit applicants.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The median completion time to complete a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) fell steeply from 3.6 years in 2019 to 2.2 years in 2024.<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Comprehensive EISs comprise an increasingly small fraction of agency environmental reviews. For example, between 2010 and 2021, the principal public lands management agencies\u2013the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management\u2013prepared far fewer EIS (85% and 74% less, respectively).<\/span><\/li>\r\n \t<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Relative to utility-scale renewable energy projects constructed between 20210 and 2021, the vast majority\u201396.1% of wind projects and 96.8% of solar projects\u2013employed streamlined environmental review procedures or avoided federal oversight entirely with very few projects\u2013only 2.8% of wind projects and 0.7% of solar projects\u2013challenged in federal court.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cCongress, with the SPEED Act, isn\u2019t interested in true reform that revitalizes bedrock environmental laws in service of climate action and protection of the West\u2019s public lands, wildlife and waters, and communities,\u201d said <\/span><b>Erik Schlenker-Goodrich, executive director of the Western Environmental Law Center<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. \u201cThey are, instead, recklessly careening off the road, drunk on bad facts and worse ideas and bullied by the fossil fuel and Big Tech industries\u2019 money and influence.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cDemocrats must not\u2014especially with the Trump administration in power for three more years\u2014surrender America\u2019s bedrock community and environmental protections to the fossil fuel and extractive industries, intent on looting public resources for profit without regard for the consequences to people, their communities, and our world,\u201d said <\/span><b>Marlyn Twitchell, senior attorney at the Western Environmental Law Center<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. \u201cPut simply, the SPEED Act would create new uncertainty and complication without improving decision making. In fact, we believe it would exacerbate the climate crisis and the fires, floods, droughts, hurricanes, and oppressive heat that have already killed so many Americans and so severely damaged our homes, public lands, and economy.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n<b>Background:<\/b>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deregulation interests have peddled<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2F__https%3A%2F%2Fwww.eli.org%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Ffiles-pdf%2F55.DispellingTheMyths.pdf__%3B!!IIed8l2J2Mno!dYvNgLoIfUEHeOQxSZcHeHz26QeJFhUyO5f6UyLWtN7D3H5Nk1Ee_cEpW465EjoOuV3lwb_w9juzB-_auql8mQ%24&amp;data=05%7C02%7Csschima%40earthjustice.org%7C92edba05476440be2e9d08de2848353a%7Cadedb458e8e34c4e9bedfa792af66cb6%7C0%7C0%7C638992487867151406%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=XUIKuA8LoWvC3HLfuP0%2BFYtrjrR8zKzO0i6acCD0Zmc%3D&amp;reserved=0\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">myths<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that NEPA is impeding construction of roads, housing, and other infrastructure, yet data shows the law leads to better decisions and ultimately better projects. Instead of taking a reasoned approach to identifying and addressing specific permitting needs, this SPEED Act would open the door to plundering our nation\u2019s resources on public lands and dramatically cut back the public\u2019s ability to be heard during project development or to seek redress for violations of law in court. Yesterday\u2019s<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2F__https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.google.com%2Fdocument%2Fd%2F1gvxft9JiqekcruecCnJzUqXRwESOTMi5RpR4oYxnvjY%2Fedit%3Ftab%3Dt.0__%3B!!IIed8l2J2Mno!dYvNgLoIfUEHeOQxSZcHeHz26QeJFhUyO5f6UyLWtN7D3H5Nk1Ee_cEpW465EjoOuV3lwb_w9juzB-8S4TIQyQ%24&amp;data=05%7C02%7Csschima%40earthjustice.org%7C92edba05476440be2e9d08de2848353a%7Cadedb458e8e34c4e9bedfa792af66cb6%7C0%7C0%7C638992487867165502%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=SthXroONXN4kvlzORgBEaRv%2FUfAB%2FjiJFeu0w%2BjGOfs%3D&amp;reserved=0\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">letter<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> builds on a prior letter submitted to Congress this summer and signed by 27 organizations advising extreme caution on NEPA rollbacks such as this.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The SPEED Act sponsors bemoan NEPA\u2019s \u201ccumbersome and lengthy process,\u201d which<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2F__https%3A%2F%2Fdemocrats-naturalresources.house.gov%2Fmedia%2Fpress-releases%2Fat-subcommittee-hearing-nepa-expert-debunks-industry-driven-rhetoric-about-energy-project-delays-and-permitting-reform-needs__%3B!!IIed8l2J2Mno!dYvNgLoIfUEHeOQxSZcHeHz26QeJFhUyO5f6UyLWtN7D3H5Nk1Ee_cEpW465EjoOuV3lwb_w9juzB-8_DA8Sww%24&amp;data=05%7C02%7Csschima%40earthjustice.org%7C92edba05476440be2e9d08de2848353a%7Cadedb458e8e34c4e9bedfa792af66cb6%7C0%7C0%7C638992487867221441%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=16qKnlS9zHYsftog4Dwrazg%2FDJm5WlW7AGhPiNy3TbE%3D&amp;reserved=0\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> experts agree<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is rooted in chronic underfunding and under-staffing federal agencies\u2014a problem created by Congress and the Trump White House. The sponsors complain that NEPA \u201cis currently the most litigated environmental statute,\u201d but the fact is less<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2F__https%3A%2F%2Flaw.lclark.edu%2Flive%2Ffiles%2F30871-50-2-ruple-final__%3B!!IIed8l2J2Mno!dYvNgLoIfUEHeOQxSZcHeHz26QeJFhUyO5f6UyLWtN7D3H5Nk1Ee_cEpW465EjoOuV3lwb_w9juzB-8HNa1b6g%24&amp;data=05%7C02%7Csschima%40earthjustice.org%7C92edba05476440be2e9d08de2848353a%7Cadedb458e8e34c4e9bedfa792af66cb6%7C0%7C0%7C638992487867232097%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=I9RvjK4exQSzfEkydQMzRHtJgh5E9yBS7a4WC1ohlQg%3D&amp;reserved=0\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> than a quarter of a percent<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of NEPA decisions end up in court annually.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Congress has passed numerous updates to NEPA that are<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2F__https%3A%2F%2Fbidenwhitehouse.archives.gov%2Fceq%2Fnews-updates%2F2025%2F01%2F13%2Fnew-data-shows-biden-harris-administration-improved-speed-of-federal-permitting-and-environmental-reviews%2F__%3B!!IIed8l2J2Mno!dYvNgLoIfUEHeOQxSZcHeHz26QeJFhUyO5f6UyLWtN7D3H5Nk1Ee_cEpW465EjoOuV3lwb_w9juzB--mANFE_w%24&amp;data=05%7C02%7Csschima%40earthjustice.org%7C92edba05476440be2e9d08de2848353a%7Cadedb458e8e34c4e9bedfa792af66cb6%7C0%7C0%7C638992487867242513%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=DcXuMAwdC0tFnR3aLIgYke7sa2Vw2WcXaNgDejHTXI4%3D&amp;reserved=0\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> meaningfully reducing permitting times<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, such as FAST-41, the Inflation Reduction Act, the Fiscal Responsibility Act, and others. Before eviscerating our nation\u2019s bedrock environmental law, we should allow these changes to play out. The prior administration also made<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Furldefense.com%2Fv3%2F__https%3A%2F%2Fbidenwhitehouse.archives.gov%2Fbriefing-room%2Fstatements-releases%2F2024%2F08%2F29%2Ffact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-takes-action-to-deliver-more-projects-more-quickly-accelerates-federal-permitting%2F__%3B!!IIed8l2J2Mno!dYvNgLoIfUEHeOQxSZcHeHz26QeJFhUyO5f6UyLWtN7D3H5Nk1Ee_cEpW465EjoOuV3lwb_w9juzB-9qYlckqw%24&amp;data=05%7C02%7Csschima%40earthjustice.org%7C92edba05476440be2e9d08de2848353a%7Cadedb458e8e34c4e9bedfa792af66cb6%7C0%7C0%7C638992487867252476%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=xrNUSnYlcHPKk4LPsc%2FihLMuwGtg8tmDyZI48tDK64o%3D&amp;reserved=0\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">substantial improvements to permitting<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that accelerated permitting timelines and respected, rather than undermined, the public interest abandoned by the current administration that should serve as a starting point for any congressional action.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Significantly, by defining the law as purely procedural, the bill guts NEPA\u2019s central purpose to ensure that all federal agencies consider the environmental impacts of their actions. For 50 years the law has directed agencies to consider environmental consequences of proposed actions, engaging the public and communities in that process to ensure that \u201cto the fullest extent possible,\u201d they \u201clook before they leap\u201d and make well-informed decisions that encourage balance between human beings and the environment for present and future generations.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The bill also limits the types of projects subject to environmental review and eliminates an agency\u2019s ability to consider the combined impacts of other projects, meaning environmental reviews will no longer adequately inform the public. In addition, it takes away standard judicial remedies by eliminating courts\u2019 ability to set aside agency actions that violate NEPA, eliminating the incentive for agencies to comply with the law. Moreover, projects would be able to proceed while any violations are corrected\u2014tantamount to \u201cbulldoze first, consider impacts later.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">can<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> improve the speed of permitting, <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and we already are<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. We must, because the climate and biodiversity crises demand swift and powerful responses. But we must not erode community and environmental protections to achieve this goal.<\/span>\r\n\r\n###\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong><i>Sierra Club<\/i><\/strong>\r\n\r\n<b>Washington, DC<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> - Today, the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/naturalresources.house.gov\/calendar\/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=418468\"><b>House Committee on Natural Resources is considering legislation<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> proposed by Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) called the \u201cStandardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act,\u201d or the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/119th-congress\/house-bill\/4776\/text\"><b>SPEED Act<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This bill will undermine the National Environmental Policy Act, a bedrock environmental law, in order to rush through infrastructure projects without adequate review or safeguards. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\r\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\r\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sierra Club and over 100 environmental and community groups sent a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/earthjustice.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/over-100-organizations-oppose-speed-act-final-letter-11-18.pdf\"><b>letter<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to Congress urging Members to oppose the legislation. The letter states:\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe urgency many feel to accelerate this buildout [of better transportation systems, more affordable housing, semiconductor fabrication facilities, transmission lines, renewable energy, and more] is well founded, but the SPEED Act takes exactly the wrong approach.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWe cannot simply deregulate our way to a smarter, more efficient permitting system. Stripping away safeguards does not create better processes or stronger projects. It only invites more mistakes, conflict, and harmful development. Real progress comes from resourcing agencies, improving coordination, and giving communities a voice in the process so projects can move forward quickly and durably. We urge the committee to focus on these real solutions rather than false shortcuts.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n<b>In response, Sierra Club Beyond Fossil Fuels Policy Director Mahyar Sorour\u00a0<\/b><b>issued the following statement:\u00a0<\/b>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cAmericans would greatly benefit from harnessing the country\u2019s ample clean, renewable energy resources to lower costs and provide a more reliable and resilient grid. The SPEED Act would move us in the wrong direction, allowing developers to prioritize profit without consideration of community or environmental harm. We can move quickly to build out our clean energy future without undermining our clean air and water, healthy communities, and our collective prosperity. We urge Members of the Committee to vote no on this harmful legislation.\u201d\r\n###<\/span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong><i>Earthjustice Action<\/i><\/strong>\r\n\r\n<b>WASHINGTON, DC<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014Today, the House Committee on Natural Resources will hold a markup of the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act (SPEED). <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The bill, introduced by Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) would dramatically weaken the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by limiting its scope and drastically limiting government accountability efforts when federal agencies fail to adequately consider the health, environmental, or economic impacts of decisions.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The legislation, which was the subject of a hearing in September, would create waivers of review and public input for broad classes of taxpayer funded projects, limit the use of new science and information in environmental reviews, and significantly limit the scope of impacts agencies consider. The legislation was significantly revised and made worse this week, when Chair Westerman released a new version that goes even further in limiting NEPA and goes as far as to essentially eliminate meaningful judicial remedies.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In anticipation of the markup, <\/span><b>Earthjustice Action Senior Legislative Counsel Stephen Schima<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> issued the following statement:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhile we agree in quickly building the transmission capacity, clean energy projects, and clean transportation infrastructure of the future needed to combat climate change, weakening bedrock environmental laws is not the solution. Dismantling existing protections\u2014especially during a lawless presidential administration\u2014will only result in more dirty air, contaminated water, and toxic health outcomes for everyone. Instead of staffing and funding cuts, we must fully empower federal agencies with the staff capacity and resources to implement the smart, efficient, and modern permitting system we all know is possible. We cannot rely on deregulation to get us there.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Earlier this week, over 100 organizations <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/earthjustice.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/over-100-organizations-oppose-speed-act-final-letter-11-18.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sent a letter<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to House Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman highlighting the dangers of the bill and urging the committee to reject it. The groups urged the committee to instead pass the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Clean Electricity and Transmission Acceleration Act<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\r\n###<\/span>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong><i>Climate Justice Alliance<\/i><\/strong>\r\n<h1><b>The SPEED Act: Another Dirty Deal for the People<\/b><\/h1>\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contact: kayla@unbendablemedia.com<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nov. 20, 2025 \u2013 In response to today\u2019s markup of the SPEED Act by Natural Resources Committee Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME), Climate Justice Alliance Executive Director KD Chavez issued the following statement:<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cDespite a month-long recess in the House, the SPEED Act shows no meaningful improvements that address frontline communities\u2019 concerns. Instead, it continues to empower corporations over people by weakening cumulative impacts analysis, diminishing our ability to hold polluters accountable in court, and limiting tribal sovereignty.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In fact, the SPEED Act has added a provision to assume \u201cNo Action\u201d alternatives have negative impacts on tribes, regardless of the action or tribe\u2019s own perspective. What this really means is that even when permits or agency actions require corrections or legal challenges, potentially harmful projects could continue moving forward. Tribal and Indigenous communities know all too well the harms caused by mining, oil, and gas operations\u2014 and how a \u201cNo Action\u201d outcome can often be life saving.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Today\u2019s markup of the SPEED Act represents yet another dirty permitting deal that sacrifices public health and treaty rights for AI infrastructure and fossil fuel expansion. We urgently need to address solutions for climate, housing, transportation, and energy infrastructure. Repealing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), or stripping communities of legal safeguards is not the answer.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Frontline communities know what works: stronger public engagement tools, robust investments in permitting staff, and protections for our public lands and sacred sites. It\u2019s long overdue that our representatives get serious and bring community-backed solutions to the center of policymaking.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n###\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong><i>League of Conservation Voters<\/i><\/strong>\r\n\r\n<b>The Speed Act is Permitting More Giveaways to Big Polluters<\/b>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Washington, D.C. \u2014 Following today\u2019s House Natural Resources Committee\u2019s markup of the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) issued the following statement from Vice President of Federal Policy Matthew Davis:<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHouse Republicans have once again shown they are more interested in helping their fossil fuel billionaire buddies instead of working to lower utility costs for American families. The SPEED Act is another giveaway to Big Polluters that allows the Trump administration to continue its assault on clean energy while rigging the permitting process for harmful projects by cutting public input, gutting environmental protections, and blocking people\u2019s day in court. Adequate staffing and resources delivered improvements in permitting timelines last year, and yet this bill does nothing to stop the indiscriminate firings of career civil servants or disregard for congressional direction on funding. We urge Congress to follow the lead of the members of Congress who opposed this bill in committee today and get serious about lowering utility costs by building clean, affordable energy that creates jobs and protects the health of our communities.\u201d<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn more about LCV\u2019s opposition to the SPEED Act, the PERMIT Act, and more about the benefits of NEPA <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/lcv.org\/fact-sheet-permitting\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here.<\/span><\/a>\r\n\r\n###\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong><em>Public Citizen<\/em><\/strong>\r\n<h2><b>Natural Resources Committee Set to Limit Key Protections for\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<h2><b>Health, Environment, and Economy<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Committee is set to mark up Chair Westerman\u2019s proposal to gut NEPA,\u00a0<\/span><\/i>\r\n\r\n<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">undermining key permitting protections for federal projects<\/span><\/i>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For Immediate Release: November 20, 2025<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\r\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\r\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contact: Patrick Davis, <\/span><a href=\"mailto:pdavis@citizen.org\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pdavis@citizen.org<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\r\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\r\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 An <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.congress.gov\/bill\/119th-congress\/house-bill\/4776\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">attempt to gut the National Environmental Policy Act<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(NEPA), a federal law requiring a detailed environmental assessment of major energy and construction projects, could advance past the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources on Thursday. The bill, introduced by committee chair Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), would radically limit the scope of reviews by federal agencies, essentially eliminating government accountability when agencies fail to adequately consider the health, environmental, or economic impacts of their decisions.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In response, <\/span><b>Meghan Pazik, senior policy advocate with Public Citizen\u2019s Climate Program<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, issued the following statement:\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe proposal would fundamentally undermine key safeguards that protect frontline communities and local governments. The proposal codifies climate denial, and effectively silences the voices of those who will be directly impacted by any project sanctioned by the federal government.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cFossil fuel and pipeline executives will be the overwhelming winners here as this legislation tips the scales in favor of approving projects without the necessary pause to allow for informed decision-making, putting private profits above the public interest. This rushed attempt by Congress to undermine key protections is irresponsible and the committee needs to press pause on this destructive bill.<\/span>\r\n\r\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe Trump administration\u2019s multiple, targeted attacks towards renewables, especially wind and solar, as well as cutoff of numerous Inflation Reduction Act programs suggest that this administration cannot be trusted.\u201d<\/span>\r\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"># # #<\/p>\r\nWE ACT for Environmental Justice is a Northern Manhattan membership-based organization whose mission is to build healthy communities by ensuring that people of color and\/or low-income residents participate meaningfully in the creation of sound and fair environmental health and protection policies and practices. WE ACT has offices in New York and Washington, D.C. Visit us at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.weact.org\/\">weact.org<\/a>\u00a0and follow us on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/weactforej\">Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/weact4ej.bsky.social\">Bluesky<\/a>, and\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.instagram.com\/weact4ej\">Instagram<\/a>.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nAbout WE\r\n\r\n&nbsp;","include_drop_cap":false}}]},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Environmental Groups Speak Out Against Deregulatory SPEED Act - WE ACT for Environmental Justice<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/weact.org\/es\/updates\/environmental-groups-push-back-against-deregulatory-speed-act\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"es_ES\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Environmental Groups Speak Out Against Deregulatory SPEED Act - 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