The House of Representatives has passed the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act (SPEED Act, H.R. 4776), facilitating reforms to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) that governs federal actions that could impact the environment.
The legislation was widely endorsed by construction industry groups within the United States, including the American Cement Association (ACA), which believes it will expedite the building of essential energy, transportation, flood control and other infrastructure projects. Previously equipment upgrades at cement plants, such as carbon capture and sequestration technologies, would trigger a NEPA review.
However, detractors have noted the bill was largely intended as a legislative fix to allow the Trump administration to force the cancellation of offshore wind projects.
In a bipartisan vote of 221 to 196, 11 Democrats voted for the bill in the House. It now moves to the Senate for consideration. The ACA says it will continue to advocate for the passage of the SPEED Act and other permitting reforms that benefit the cement industry.
