Congressman Gabe Evans Applauds Bipartisan SPEED Act to Fix America’s Broken Permitting System

WASHINGTON — Today Congressman Gabe Evans (R-CO-08) voted to pass the bipartisan Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act, H.R. 4776. This commonsense legislation modernizes the federal permitting process, cuts red tape, and restores America’s ability to build critical infrastructure while maintaining strong environmental protections.

“For far too long, outdated permitting rules have strangled economic growth, driven up costs for families, and delayed the infrastructure projects our communities desperately need. The SPEED Act is a commonsense, bipartisan solution that restores balance and protects the environment while allowing America to build, innovate, and compete.” – Rep. Gabe Evans

The SPEED Act would:

• Streamline and modernize National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews by simplifying overly burdensome analyses

• Clarify when NEPA applies by refining the definition of “major federal action”

• Shorten permitting timelines to reduce unnecessary delays

• Limit abusive litigation by establishing a 150-day deadline for legal challenges

• Preserve core environmental protections while restoring NEPA to its original procedural purpose

The bill passed the House with bipartisan support and is headed to the Senate.