Goodlatte and Marino Applaud Passage of Reforms to the Federal Permit Streamlining Process in Long-Term Highway Bill

Washington, D.C.— House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law Subcommittee Chairman Tom Marino (R-Pa.), both appointed as conferees by House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), issued the following statement following the House of Representatives’ approval of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act: “We are pleased that this bipartisan legislation - which is on its way to the President's desk - includes key reforms, crafted by the House Judiciary Committee, which will streamline the approval process for federally-funded and federally-permitted infrastructure projects.  These provisions will help unleash jobs for many Americans.“It has been a pleasure to work with a bipartisan and bicameral group of colleagues to achieve these important reforms.”Background: The House Judiciary Committee recommended the addition of Title 41 to the conference committee for adoption in the final report to the House and Senate. Title 41, entitled “Federal Permitting Improvement,” helps to streamline the review process for federally-funded and federally-permitted infrastructure, energy and other construction projects and delivers faster approvals.  The title dramatically reduces the delay and uncertainty in the process for new construction and infrastructure projects that undermines job creation and economic growth for hardworking Americans. Key provisions of the title:

• Streamlines agencies’ environmental review processes for new project applications and imposes deadlines for the completion of the essential components of review.
• Eliminates litigation that sandbags project sponsors and agencies, by allowing only those who participate in the agency review process to challenge permitting decisions in court, and only then upon issues first presented during the administrative process; and
• Requires litigation over permitting decisions to be brought within no more than two years of permitting decisions – not six years, as currently allowed.