Central Louisiana News

U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Joe Manchin (I-WV), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), and U.S. Representative Garret Graves (R-LA-06) have introduced a bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution of disapproval to overturn the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Phase II Final Rule.

"Federal permitting is already a broken system. The Biden administration’s response is to add more red tape," said Dr. Cassidy. "Slow walking permitting for infrastructure projects will destroy good-paying jobs in Louisiana and undermines our efforts to build an economy for 2050."

Senator Manchin expressed concerns about the delays caused by current permitting processes: "Our broken permitting processes have caused years-long delays and cancellations of all kinds of energy projects. Congress worked in good faith with the Administration and passed legislation to set deadlines and ease some of the procedural delays in the Fiscal Responsibility Act. Unfortunately, this Administration’s expanded NEPA rule goes well beyond what was agreed to and undermines that deal by encouraging agencies to run right up to the deadline and empowering activists to hold up projects in litigation. We must get back to building things, but this rule creates roadblocks that will hold us back."

Senator Sullivan criticized the final NEPA Phase II rule: "The Biden administration’s final NEPA Phase II rule runs roughshod over the bipartisan, bicameral consensus on streamlining federal permits for the vital infrastructure and energy projects that our country desperately needs. If allowed to stand, this rule will bog down projects with red tape, make them harder to build, put hard-working Americans out of work, and waste taxpayer dollars."

Representative Graves emphasized his commitment to reversing the rule: "Instead of implementing the law as stated and taking one step forward, the Biden White House has chosen to roll back consequential progress in permitting reform and take us two steps backwards. The NEPA Phase 2 rule actively undermines the bipartisan consensus that the President signed into law just a year ago and adds complexity and uncertainty outside the direction of Congress."

The resolution is co-sponsored by U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Ted Budd (R-NC), Mike Lee (R-UT), Jim Risch (R-ID), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Katie Britt (R-AL), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), and John Hoeven (R-ND).

Support for this resolution comes from various organizations including but not limited to: Agricultural Retailers Association, American Chemistry Council, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Gas Association, American Petroleum Institute, Associated Builders and Contractors, National Asphalt Pavement Association, National Mining Association, National Ready Mixed Concrete Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce.