09.13.22

Hoeven Helps Introduce Comprehensive Regulatory and Permitting Reform Legislation

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, this week joined Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, in introducing the Simplify Timelines and Assure Regulatory Transparency (START) Act, comprehensive federal regulatory permitting and project review reform legislation.

“Making serious revisions to the convoluted federal permitting process would drastically improve America’s ability to build important projects,” said Hoeven. “Not only would this create good-paying jobs but it would further help reduce the pain of inflation by growing our economy, getting goods to consumers and transporting energy to market.”

 In addition to reducing delays in environmental reviews and eliminating regulatory hurdles, this legislation:

  • Codifies the Trump-era 2020 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations to streamline the permitting process.
  • Codifies the Trump-era Navigable Waters Protection Rule’s definition of “waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act.
  • Codifies additional Trump-era Clean Water Act actions, including rules to prevent states from unreasonably blocking energy projects and those designed to streamline permitting for critical energy projects.  

Including Hoeven and Capito, the bill is cosponsored by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senators John Thune (R-S.D.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). 

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