U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, addressed the Senate on the need for bipartisan reforms to environmental review and permitting processes. In her floor speech, Capito highlighted longstanding issues with delays and regulatory hurdles affecting infrastructure and energy projects across the country.
“The opportunity is here, this is right in front of us, and I can guarantee you that I will be at the forefront of these efforts to make sure that these reforms can become a reality. I encourage my colleagues to heed the importance of this moment,” Chairman Capito said.
Capito discussed how critical projects in areas such as energy development, infrastructure improvement, and economic growth have been stalled by what she described as “redundant reviews, shifting goalposts, endless red tape, and regulatory uncertainty.” She noted that both large and small businesses seeking to invest in new projects face challenges due to complex regulations that have accumulated over time.
The senator cited examples from West Virginia, mentioning delays in steel production facilities and highway projects like Corridor H. She explained that these delays affect not only project costs but also impact families through higher prices for energy, housing, transportation, and basic goods.
“These types of delays nearly stopped what will become one of the most environmentally friendly steel production facilities in the world that will employ over a thousand people in Mason County,” Capito said.
She also pointed out similar permitting challenges faced by water extensions, broadband deployments, and bridge replacements in her state. According to Capito, these obstacles hinder states from reaching their full potential by preventing investments that could improve residents’ quality of life.
“Point blank, these delays are holding our state and every state back from reaching our full potential, robbing our people of investments and economic development that would improve the quality of their lives. I believe it is time for Congress act,” she stated.
Capito referenced her previous legislative efforts on permitting reform during her tenure in the Senate. While some changes were included in past bipartisan legislation such as the Fiscal Responsibility Act, she argued that further action is necessary.
“In my role as the Chair of the EPW Committee...I could not be more earnest in my desire to lead this effort with our Ranking Member. Our Committee’s involvement on this issue remains apparent by the delivery of not just this speech we’re doing together, but as we continue to work together with the goal of crafting bipartisan legislation,” she said.
The committee began bipartisan discussions earlier this year by holding hearings with stakeholders involved in environmental review processes. The hearing record was kept open for over a month to gather input from organizations and individuals about current challenges and possible solutions. In total, 107 submissions representing 146 organizations were received along with 854 individual requests regarding improvements to federal permitting procedures.
“These responses have helped the EPW Committee identify the challenges that persist across the wide variety of projects and to identify consensus on the potential solutions to address these challenges,” Capito noted.
She acknowledged broad dissatisfaction among all branches of government with current permitting systems. Citing actions taken by previous administrations as well as a recent Supreme Court decision related to federal agency responsibilities under environmental law, Capito emphasized momentum for reform exists across government branches.
“The Trump Administration has taken numerous actions to cut red tape...The Supreme Court delivered a unanimous decision...that validated what many of my colleagues and I have long been saying,” she remarked.
Capito stressed any durable reforms must be bipartisan: “To start, durable and implementable reforms need to be successful, they have to be bipartisan.” She called for legislation addressing all types of projects while maintaining public health protections without weakening environmental standards or cutting corners.
“I want to stress that modernizing these processes does not mean cutting corners or weakening our environmental and public health protections...It means focusing the government on meeting the needs of the American people...and making the processes more efficient,” she said.
She expressed support for recent bipartisan proposals introduced in the House aimed at addressing similar concerns. As negotiations continue within Congress, Capito urged collaboration between both chambers and with administration officials to advance comprehensive permitting reform legislation.
