Washington, D.C. – The House Natural Resources Committee unanimously passed the ePermit Act, led by U.S. Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Scott Peters (D-CA). This legislation would modernize the permitting process.
“It takes too long to build in America,” said Johnson. “I’m grateful for the work of the Natural Resources Committee to advance my bill that will help America build again. I look forward to moving this bill forward in Congress to modernize our permitting system and unlock development and innovation in our communities.”
“H.R. 4503, the ePermit Act, will modernize outdated permitting systems and streamline how agencies coordinate reviews,” said Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-AR). “By moving to electronic permitting, we can reduce delays, improve communication, and give project applicants a clear and predictable process. I applaud Representative Johnson for spearheading this bipartisan effort to modernize permitting technology, and I look forward to working with him to move this bill forward in Congress.”
“Our permitting system is still burdened by an outdated, paper-based processes that slow down the projects Americans are counting on — from transportation and broadband to clean energy and climate-resilient infrastructure,” said Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA). “The ePermit Act moves us toward a modern, efficient, fully digital permitting system that will cut red tape, and today’s passage brings us one step closer to delivering results faster. As energy costs continue to rise across the country, it’s important we meet the growing demand for electrification, data centers, and clean-tech manufacturing. I look forward to continuing this momentum and working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to meet the growing demand in California, and across our country, and get this over the finish line.”
What industry leaders are saying about the ePermit Act:
“We applaud Representatives Dusty Johnson and Scott Peters for their innovative approach to modernizing the federal permitting process through the ePermit Act. By establishing a digital permitting portal and standardized data framework for permitting documents, this legislation will enhance clarity, uniformity, and efficiency across federal agencies. It will also improve transparency, facilitate real-time collaboration, and ensure better public access, ultimately streamlining the permitting process and our ability to develop critical infrastructure that will benefit Americans across the country,” said Chad Whiteman, Vice President, Environment and Regulatory Affairs, U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
“American Council of Engineering Companies, the business voice of the nation’s engineering industry, supports passage of H.R. 4503, the ePermit Act and applauds Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Scott Peters (D-CA) for their leadership on this important bipartisan legislation. The ePermit Act will modernize how federal agencies use technology to facilitate more efficient and timely federal permitting decisions. If passed, the bill will help to cut red tape by enhancing transparency, improving stakeholder engagement, and facilitating efficient interagency collaboration.”
“Our outdated permitting process is incapable of meeting the challenge of rising demand. This bipartisan bill will ensure federal agencies leverage technology to speed up environmental reviews. It’s a critical piece of the broader permitting reform necessary to let America build,” said Jeremy Harrell, CEO, ClearPath Action.
“Manufacturers continue to support permitting reform to unleash American manufacturing competitiveness. The ePermit Act will increase efficiency and transparency in the permitting process, making it easier for manufacturers to push beyond the red tape, grow facilities and create jobs,” said Charles Crain, Managing Vice President of Policy, National Association of Manufacturers.
“National Association of Home Builders commends Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Scott Peters (D-CA) for introducing the ePermit Act, legislation that would address housing affordability challenges by improving and expediting the environmental review and permitting processes. Permitting roadblocks delay housing projects and raise construction costs. This legislation will bring clarity, efficiency and certainty to the permitting process by requiring the use of electronic permitting platforms,” said Buddy Hughes, Chairman, National Association of Home Builders.
“The American Petroleum Institute supports the ePermit Act as a critical step toward modernizing the nation’s outdated permitting system. By improving the process and enhancing transparency through digital tools, this legislation will improve efficiency to support the energy projects we need to meet rising demand. We commend Representatives Peters and Johnson for their leadership in advancing American energy and for spearheading efforts to bring federal permitting into the 21st century,” said Kristin Whitman Senior Vice President of Federal Government Affairs at American Petroleum Institute.
“BPC Action celebrates the bipartisan efforts of Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) and Scott Peters (D-CA) to optimize technology to modernize federal environmental review and permitting processes for infrastructure projects involving roads, bridges, mines, factories, power plants, and more. The ePermit Act, introduced today, will provide greater transparency and predictability on environmental review and permitting schedules for sponsors and stakeholders. We commend this small, but important, step forward to improve our permitting processes,” said Michele Stockwell, President, Bipartisan Policy Center Action.
“It’s no secret that the current permitting process remains a major barrier to deploying the projects needed to secure America’s energy and environmental future. By embracing today’s technology, we can modernize the permitting system and accelerate project approvals through greater efficiency and transparency. The American Conservation Coalition Action and its members across the country commend this effort to bring environmental review into the 21st century,” said Andrew Mills, Managing Director, American Conservation Coalition Action.