Valadao’s new bill would improve federal approvals for energy production projects

U.S. Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) on March 7 sponsored a bill that would streamline the federal approval process for energy production in the United States.

“At a time when energy prices are soaring for Central Valley families, we should be doing everything we can to increase our supply of safe, clean, and affordable energy,” Rep. Valadao said on Tuesday. “Increasing our domestic energy supply is the only long-term solution to provide stability and lower prices.”

Specifically, the Determination of NEPA Adequacy Streamlining Act, H.R. 1430, would direct the U.S. Secretary of the Interior and the U.S. Agriculture Secretary to use certain previously completed environmental assessments and environmental impact statements to satisfy the review requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 for the approval of projects with similar environmental impacts, according to the text of the bill.

Under H.R. 1430, the secretaries would have such authority if they determine that the new proposed action is “substantially the same” as a previously analyzed proposed action or alternative analyzed in a previous environmental assessment or environmental impact statement; and the effects of the proposed action are “substantially the same” as the effects analyzed in such existing assessments or impact statements, the text says. 

“Streamlining the slow, bureaucratic approval process by allowing secretaries to use scientifically sound environmental reviews under NEPA will help move these tied up energy projects across the finish line,” said Rep. Valadao.