U.S. Rep. Celeste Maloy stated that the Full Responsibility and Expedited Enforcement (FREE) Act will assist Utah businesses and governments by reducing wait times during the permit approval process. Maloy shared her statement in a press release on June 18.
"A large portion of my career has been spent helping Utahns work through burdensome federal permitting processes," said Maloy, U.S. Representative of Utah's 2nd Congressional District (R). "Permit applications are often inconsistent and lack clear timelines. The FREE Act offers some long overdue relief, streamlining permits to make them more manageable and predictable. Utah businesses and local governments will benefit from this improvement."
According to Representative Celeste Maloy, she introduced the FREE Act to make the permitting process more efficient by creating a "permit-by-rule" (PBR) system. The act, backed by Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, directs federal agencies to evaluate and report permits within 240 days of assessment, after which agencies must adopt the PBR within 12 months. The system aims to simplify and streamline the process of obtaining a permit by minimizing waiting times.
"The current federal permitting process is unfair, time-consuming, and expensive. As a result, businesses, individuals, and the economy suffer," said Tarren Bragdon, CEO of the Opportunity Solutions Project, in the release. "We applaud Rep. Maloy for proposing a new permitting process that limits bureaucratic delays and fosters innovation and economic growth. The FREE Act is what a 21st-century permitting process looks like."
According to S&P Global News, the average wait time for permit applications to mine on federal land in the U.S. is nearly 18 years, compared to two years in Australia and three years in Canada. From 2020-23, it was 12.7 years on average. The study indicated that lead times are getting longer over time due to extended periods required for obtaining construction permits and financing projects.
The Deseret News reported that the FREE Act attempts to prevent permitting processes from dragging on for "years if not decades" for projects such as transmission lines, mines, oil and gas extraction, and transportation corridors.
US Representative Celeste Maloy currently serves Utah's 2nd District since 2023. She also serves on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House Committee on Small Business. Maloy began her career as a soil conservationist for ten years before earning her law degree at Brigham Young University and becoming a deputy Washington County attorney. She has a strong passion for land rights and ownership due to being surrounded by an environment rich in natural resources and public lands.
