SE North Carolina News

Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) has joined a bipartisan effort to introduce a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution aimed at overturning the Biden administration’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Phase II Final Rule. The rule is said to add complexities to the federal permitting process for infrastructure and energy projects, potentially undermining the intent of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, which was designed to expedite permitting reviews.

The bill is spearheaded by Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Joe Manchin (I-WV), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Co-sponsors include Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), 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). In the House, the resolution is led by Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA).

Senator Budd stated: “In order to secure American energy dominance, we desperately need common-sense permitting reform. That’s why Congress amended the National Environmental Policy Act, which streamlined the process, set shot clocks on application reviews, and let state and local governments take more responsibility. Unsurprisingly, the Biden administration is trying to bury that progress in more red tape and ignore the intent of Congress. I am proud to join colleagues on both sides of the aisle to stand up for families and workers who believe that America should get back in the business of building things.”

Senator Sullivan remarked: “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. My colleagues and I are putting forward a CRA to rescind the Biden administration’s ‘death by delay’ regulatory strategy, and ensure we can deliver the bridges, roads, pipelines, tunnels, ports, runways and energy projects the American people expect. I hope my colleagues will put America’s infrastructure needs and the interests of hard-working Americans above the demands of far-left radical environmentalists.”

Senator Manchin added: “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. I am proud to work with my friends Senator Sullivan and Representative Graves to undo this overreaching rule that undermines the will of Congress.”

The resolution has garnered support from numerous organizations including Agricultural Retailers Association, American Chemistry Council, American Farm Bureau Federation, American Gas Association, American Petroleum Institute among others.

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