Davis sponsors bill to streamline major infrastructure project reviews

The federal environmental review process for major infrastructure projects would be streamlined under legislation sponsored last week by U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL).

“America’s infrastructure needs are immediate and substantial,” Rep. Davis said on March 11. “My legislation will ensure that we treat major infrastructure projects like the top priority they are, not a can that we kick down the road for years on end.”

The One Federal Decision Act, H.R. 1812, which garnered 14 Republican original cosponsors, would reform the federal permitting and environmental review processes for major projects to reduce project delays and save taxpayer dollars, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Davis’ office.

Among the members who joined the congressman in introducing the bill were U.S. Reps. Sam Graves (R-MO) and Troy Balderson (R-OH). 

“Illinois drivers don’t want the roads and bridges in Illinois fixed five or 10 years from now; they want them fixed today,” said Rep. Davis. “With the One Federal Decision Act, we can move projects along quicker, save taxpayer dollars, create good paying jobs, and protect the environment all at the same time. We should all want a more streamlined, efficient government.”

If enacted, H.R. 1812 would establish a government-wide goal of limiting the time required for environmental reviews and authorizations for major infrastructure projects to two years; require federal agencies to develop a single permitting timetable for environmental review and authorization decisions; and require that all federal authorizations and project reviews rely on a single environmental document, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Davis’ office.

Federal agencies also would need to make all decisions on authorizations, including permits, for a major project within 90 days of the issuance of a record of decision (ROD), states the summary.

The Laborers’ International Union of North America, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Association of Realtors, the Power and Communication Contractors Association, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, among others, in a March 2 letter sent to members of Congress urged them to prioritize improvements to the federal permitting process.

Additionally, Rep. Davis, the ranking member of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, earlier this month met with President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and a bipartisan group of his colleagues at the White House to discuss America’s investment in infrastructure.

“We had a great conversation about how important this issue is, and I take it as a good sign that the president shared his commitment to working across the aisle in a bipartisan way to finally get an infrastructure deal done,” Rep. Davis said on March 5.