The U.S. House has passed the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act (H.R. 4776) by a 221–196 vote and sent it to the Senate.
The Congressional Research Service summary says the bill would limit the scope of the National Environmental Policy Act and modify major federal action review to generally reduce which federal actions that trigger NEPA review and to expedite the process.
The bill would change which federal actions trigger NEPA review and revise review and litigation procedures, according to the Congressional Research Service summary. House Natural Resources Committee Chair Bruce Westerman, the bill’s sponsor, said the measure is designed to “bring certainty to permitting” and curb what he called “abusive litigation.”
The House-passed SPEED Act focuses on NEPA by changing which federal actions trigger environmental review and revising review and litigation procedures, according to the Congressional Research Service summary.
Separately, EPA said its new “Clean Air Act Resources for Data Centers” hub is intended to centralize permitting guidance and technical tools and to “speed up the ability to build data centers and the necessary backup generation,” framing the resource around common on-site equipment such as engines and turbines.
On Dec. 11, the EPA launched a “Clean Air Act Resources for Data Centers” webpage that consolidates air-permitting guidance, modeling tools, and past EPA letters relevant to data centers and on-site generation.
EPA said the hub is intended to give developers, local communities, and Tribes a single place to find Clean Air Act resources as data-center buildouts expand alongside AI deployments.
NEPA timelines can stretch for years: a White House Council on Environmental Quality report found the average time to complete an environmental impact statement and record of decision was 4.5 years from notice of intent to record of decision, and that one quarter of reviews took more than 6 years.
The Bipartisan Policy Center’s analysis of the House-passed text says the bill would shrink the window to file NEPA claims to 150 days, versus the longer default timelines that can apply under federal law today.
At the same time, the EPA hub is built around practical permitting mechanics that can affect how projects are structured.
The page links to EPA guidance on calculating and legally limiting a site’s “potential to emit” for emergency generators and other sources, which is used in determining whether a facility is a ‘major source’ for permitting purposes, including Title V.
EPA also said its Office of Air and Radiation staff will consult “on a case-by-case basis” with permitting authorities and sources.
Industry groups are already positioning the bill as an AI-and-energy competitiveness issue. The National Association of Manufacturers tied permitting reform to “lead the world in artificial intelligence,” while the U.S. Chamber called House passage a step toward improving the ability to “build, invest, and compete.”
The Wilderness Society said the House-passed bill would reduce opportunities for public engagement and weaken oversight, while AP reported that some clean-energy advocates pulled back support after late changes tied to offshore wind.
Next, the bill’s Congress.gov record shows it has been sent to the Senate, while EPA’s hub page lists “Upcoming Actions” including a planned proposal to revise the “Begin Actual Construction” definition under New Source Review.