U.S. Rep. Jeff Denham (R-CA) released a statement regarding his efforts with other legislators to craft the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act, which was introduced earlier this week.
The bill would reauthorize surface transportation programs and initiatives nationwide.
“As we all know, many of our roads, bridges and highways are in serious need of repair,” Denham said. “That’s why I’ve been working with Transportation and Infrastructure Committee colleagues to craft a new highway bill. The bill was introduced this morning, and I’m pleased to report that it includes a provision mirroring my NEPA Reciprocity Act to streamline environmental-review processes and give counties and local governments the ability to act quickly and responsibly on the building projects we so desperately need.
“This builds on MAP-21, the most recent major surface transportation law, by requiring that agencies compile one environmental review document instead of several,” Denham said. “It ensures that California projects which have already passed the state’s stringent environmental review process (required by the California Environmental Quality Act, CEQA) can bypass a duplicative and redundant second layer of review, dramatically streamlining the project-delivery process.”
“This is a great step forward in helping our communities invest in local infrastructure,” Denham said.