Representatives Gabe Evans (R-CO-08), Scott Peters, Andrew Garbarino (NY-02), and Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) have introduced a discussion draft for the Create Expedited Reviews to Transform American Infrastructure Now (CERTAIN) Act. The proposed legislation aims to overhaul the federal permitting process for energy projects in the United States.
The CERTAIN Act seeks to provide more predictability for energy project permits by establishing clear timelines, notice requirements, and increased accountability for federal agencies involved in authorizations and environmental reviews. The act also calls for better coordination among agencies to prevent unnecessary delays. According to its sponsors, these measures are intended to encourage investment in energy infrastructure, lower costs, create jobs, and protect the environment.
Congressman Gabe Evans stated, “As the representative of a truly all-of-the-above energy district, I hear from oil and gas and renewable energy producers alike that overburdensome permitting processes and lack of permit certainty has plagued investment and delayed innovation. Across the U.S., modernizing how we permit our infrastructure is absolutely vital to meeting our growing energy demand and lowering costs for working families. I’m proud to lead these bipartisan discussions to build upon the work already done in the House to strengthen American jobs, businesses and markets, reduce cost of living, and provide investors greater certainty when allocating capital to current and future energy projects.”
Congressman Peters added, “It’s no secret that our surging energy demand is straining our grid and our wallets. As we face the growing challenge of powering our nation’s future, we must act quickly and effectively. Our CERTAIN Act is the comprehensive solution we need—giving us the tools to tackle energy challenges head-on, without unnecessary delays, and ensuring we’re meeting the moment with urgency and responsibility.”
Congressman Garbarino said, “Endless permitting roadblocks hurt communities and drive up energy costs. I’m proud to co-lead the bipartisan CERTAIN Act to bring transparency and accountability to the permitting process and ensure projects that meet their requirements can move forward on time.”
Congressman Vasquez noted, “Over the past decade, we’ve seen how shifting policies from one administration to the next lead to stalled energy projects and make long-term planning impossible, and we cannot afford to leave our energy producers exposed to this political pendulum. That’s why I’m proud to be leading the CERTAIN Act, a bipartisan solution that protects the permitting process for all types of energy projects from undue political interference.”
Key elements of the CERTAIN Act include protections against political interference with permits that remain compliant with regulations; specific deadlines for agency reviews under environmental laws; increased transparency during reviews; addressing workforce needs within agencies; improved communication between agencies and project sponsors regarding delays; as well as legal options if agencies miss deadlines or milestones.
Section-by-section summaries as well as additional information about the legislative text are available through official congressional resources.